


The Redemption of Loki

by critterlady



Series: Tamara [4]
Category: Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Avengers in Asgard, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jake (OMC), Magic-Users, Not Thor: The Dark World Compliant, Tamara (OFC), Toi (OC)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-04
Updated: 2015-02-01
Packaged: 2018-01-21 21:48:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 102,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1565234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/critterlady/pseuds/critterlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tamara and the team travel to Asgard. What happens when the team meets Loki again? Will they believe he has changed or think it is another of his lies and tricks? Can Loki be redeemed? </p><p>This story arc provides lead in to Phase 2 movies - Iron Man 3, Thor:The Dark World and Captain America:The Winter Soldier along with Marvels Agents of SHIELD.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any Marvel characters mentioned in my stories. This work is entirely for fun and enjoyment. I do own all original characters; they will usually be marked as (OC/OFC/OMC) in the tags.

It had been two days since Thor had received the message from his mother inviting the Avengers to visit Asgard. Thor had spoken to his parents since then and had gotten permission to include Pepper and Jake in the group that would be visiting Asgard. Pepper didn't want to leave the company unmonitored for several days but Tony pointed out that she would be at risk while they were gone, so she finally relented.

Thor had asked Tamara if she had any idea who the fourth child could be, given that the Norns only stated the child had the power to command energy. When he first asked her, she wasn't sure who the Norns could mean but later she realized that Remy could be seen as someone with the power to control energy. However, she hesitated to bring this up to him, knowing how he longed to have a real family and dreading his disappointment if he was not the person in question. However, as they got closer to leaving for Asgard, Tamara realized it should be his choice to find out, not hers, so she sent him a message, asking him to meet her as soon as possible.

Remy arrived at the tower a short time later and was immediately directed to the private elevator by security. Tamara met him and the two went to her room where she could talk to him without interruption. He had brought her some more fudge as a treat and the two shared it as she tried to figure the best way to bring up the Norns.

“Tamara, you are as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”

“Sorry Remy, it's just, Thor got a letter from Asgard and now we're all going there. It turns out I have three living relatives, although they are very distant relations. That's one thing I'll find out in Asgard, who they are.”

“That is a good thing, why would you worry?”

“Well, the message didn't give the names, just very vague descriptions. It stated that one lies injured, much like the Odinsleep, we think they mean that person is in a coma. It also states that one of them is an Avenger, specifically, one of Thor's fellow warriors but it doesn't specify male or female so it could be any of them.” Tamara sat and looked carefully at Remy, trying to see if anything about him seemed familiar, beyond the years she had known him.

“And the fourth, did they say who it was?”

“No, not even to tell if it was male or female. The letter said the fourth person was known to me as someone with the power to control energy. I know quite a few of the X-Men now and several of you have powers related to controlling energy.”

“But you think it is me, no cherie?”

“Yes, I do; Remy, ever since we met I felt like I knew you, that's why I was so willing to stand up to Logan and Marie when we first met. I may be wrong, it may not be you, but I wanted you to know anyways, and to ask if you want to come with us to Asgard.”

Remy took Tamara's hand and pulled her into a hug, “Cher, it matters not what others say, in my heart, you are my sister, words will not change that. And I am pleased you asked me to come, but I am needed here. If all of you are gone, Charles will need to watch things more carefully. Will you be gone long?”

“No, we leave in the morning and we plan to be gone three days, Pepper and Jake are going with us. You sure I can't talk you into coming?”

“I would not leave this place undefended, who knows what trouble could happen? What of your Director, how does he feel?”

Tamara giggled, “He's not happy at the idea of Tony being turned loose in Asgard, he's worried something will happen. But he doesn't know Tony like we do, besides, Pepper will help keep him in line. I went out last night and found Spider-man, warned him we would be gone for a couple days. He's spreading the word to all the others he knows around here, so they aren't surprised if something goes down and we aren't here. But I have a feeling things will be peaceful for once. Be careful Remy and give my love to everyone.”

“You be careful, and come home to us, it would not be the same without you around to make life interesting. Oh, Hank asked me to deliver this letter to you, something about the tests you wanted him to run.” Remy handed Tamara a thin letter and quietly left the room, seeing only Jake on his way out.

Tamara took the letter and stuck it in her pocket; she wasn't sure she wanted to know what Hank had found out, what if it was bad news? She checked her small bag once again; Thor had assured them that they need not take much, clothing would be provided but she wanted to take a few things anyways, especially sketching supplies. As she heard the others gathering for supper, she made her way into the kitchen to join them.

“So Tamara, JARVIS tells me your friend Remy stopped by?”

“Yeah, he did, Thor asked me if I had any idea who that last person might be, I think it may be Remy so I invited him to go with us, but he refused. He said it doesn't matter what the Norns say, we are a family in our hearts. He also had a letter for me from Hank, but I haven't looked at it yet.”

Bruce and Tony both knew about Tamara's concerns and the tests that Hank had planned to run on Tamara's DNA but neither one said anything. As the small group sat down to enjoy a light supper, Tamara's thoughts kept returning to the letter in her pocket. After supper, everyone headed off to bed, knowing Thor was anxious for an early start. Tamara held the letter in her hand, but again, decided against opening it. Just before going to bed, she slipped the letter into her jewelry box.

As usual, Steve was up early but he was no longer alone on his morning runs. Clint had taken to joining him sometimes when he was home and recently Tamara had started joining them as well. As she met the two at the elevator, she could hear them discussing where to run this morning. When the elevator reached the ground floor, the two men still hadn't decided so Tamara took matters into her own hands, swinging into a soft loping stride designed to cover a lot of ground quickly. She had gotten bored with a lot of their usual runs lately and had been feeling restless so she took a route they had been avoiding due to construction.

As Tamara ran past the construction site in her tank top and shorts, she heard the whistles begin but she heard them stop just as quickly as Clint and Steve joined her, each one slipping to his preferred side. She allowed it for a minute, then feeling the restlessness in her soul, she began to pull away into the crowd of early morning workers. As she ran, she jumped and dodged obstacles as she encountered them, fully aware of her surroundings and that Steve and Clint had again caught up quickly. She was enjoying this game, almost a hunt, so she led the two of them in a loop headed back to the tower.

She stopped at an old brownstone a few blocks away and began to climb, knowing they would follow. When she reached the top, she took off over the roofs, finally coming to a stop a block away from the tower. She wasn't surprised by who she found waiting, although Clint and Steve both were. As they caught their breath, Tamara moved to join Spider-man at the edge of the building.

“Spidey, figured it was you I felt tagging along, you get the message out?”

“Yeah, words going out now as we run into each other. So three days and you think things are gonna be calm? What's gonna happen when someone figures out you guys are all gone?”

“The only one people really know is Tony and that's already taken care of. JARVIS has a program to make it look like we're still in the tower and he can even fly the suit remotely. There's only a few people who will know we aren't really there, and I've arranged for a little help to watch over the city. Don't get surprised by the people you see around, they're old friends.”

“You tell them about me?”

“Nope.”

“Just who are these friends and how will I know they are who they claim to be?”

“Easy, Remy is known as Gambit and Marie is known as Rogue, they're X-Men and I have no idea who else might show up. Now, did you get the rest of the message out, about the medical help?”

“Yeah, but not sure how much you might see anyone. Most of them aren't too trusting of strangers, even if they are known as the Avengers. I mean, we keep our family and friends safe by hiding who we are, it's the only way we survive.”

“I know, but they have to trust someone some times. And it's hard to keep a secret from me, I already know who a couple of you are and as I meet others, I'll figure it out. Peter, tell Red I know where to find an attorney if I need one, he'll understand.”

Before Spider-man could react to the fact that she had just called him Peter, Tamara was running back across the roof to join Clint and Steve, leading them down and home. As the three returned to the tower, the sun fully rose and the day was turning out to be beautiful, although chilly. Tamara paced around the elevator as it made its way back to the Avengers levels, then she left before either man could say a word. When she had finished her shower, she grabbed her bag and joined the others in the main room. Toi paced alongside Tamara, excitement evident in the quick snap of her tail as she watched them gather.

As Thor paced, eager to be off, the small group took the elevator to a waiting quinjet that Fury allowed Clint to bring back the night before. Aboard the jet, it was only a short flight to the New Mexico desert where the small group transferred to a stretch limo that Tony had arranged for Happy to pick up. Happy drove them all into the desert to the coordinates Thor gave them for a Bifrost portal, then he waited as the group gathered their bags. They joined Thor in the circle and upon his instructions, shouldered their bags and held hands. A sudden flash of light was Happy's only warning to cover his eyes from the billowing dust; when he uncovered them, he was staring at empty desert.


	2. Chapter 2

The team was engulfed in a swirl of colors, unlike anything they had ever seen as they traversed the Bifrost. When things came back into focus, they found themselves standing inside a massive copper-colored dome. Standing before them was a massive black man wearing armor that matched the color of the dome. He pulled a huge sword from the stand in front of him as Thor walked across the room to greet him.

“Heimdall, my friend, may I have the honor of introducing my Midgardian companions. You have met Tamara before and the good Captain; this is Tony Stark, the Man of Iron; Natasha Romanoff, known as the Black Widow; Clint Barton, known as Hawkeye; Bruce Banner, known as Hulk. This is Miss Potts, she is in charge of Tony's mortal business while Jake Alwyn here serves as team healer.”

Heimdall inclined his head in greeting, “Welcome to Asgard. I am pleased to see you again, Lady Tamara, and pleased you have brought the cat with you. Odin has sent carriages since we do not know if any of you ride.”

Thor led them outside where they found several carriages awaiting them. Sif and the Warriors Three rode up with a horse for Thor as they exited the building. Tamara tossed her bag into a cart with everyone else and climbed into the first carriage. Steve, Jake, and Bruce joined her while Tony, Pepper, Clint and Tasha got into the second carriage. It didn't take long to reach the palace and they were ushered inside where Thor led his friends to the guest wing. A team of servants waited to greet them and to lead them each to their own rooms.

“Friends, I will meet you here in one hour so that I may present you to my parents. My mother has arranged for court clothing to be brought for your use. The clothing is spelled so it will fit you.” Thor left his friends and made his way to his own rooms where he changed out of his armor into more comfortable clothing suitable for court. He returned to the rooms assigned to his friends and found them all gathered in the hall. The ladies looked lovely in the Asgardian dress while the men looked slightly uncomfortable in the unfamiliar clothing. Only Jake looked comfortable as he waited with the others and it made Thor wonder when he had worn clothing such as this.

Thor led his friends not to the throne room but to his mother's private garden where she had arranged a light snack for everyone. Since Tamara had already met Frigga previously, she rushed through the door to stop breathlessly inside the gate. She bowed in respect and Frigga inclined her head in greeting.

“My lady, I am honored to return to your fair realm.”

“Come, child, let me see how you have fared.” Tamara approached the Queen as the others entered more slowly and she was rewarded with a bright smile. “I am glad to see you well, my dear. Loki has asked if you will visit him but I told him he need not bother.” Before Tamara could respond, Frigga pointed to a quiet corner, where Tamara saw Loki seated beside a small pool of water.

Thor approached his mother and was rewarded with a warm hug as Tamara made her way over to join Loki by the pool. He introduced each of his teammates to his mother but was a bit surprised by her reaction to Jake. It was evident she knew him for what he was and not as a normal human but she said nothing in front of the others. As he spoke to his mother, he was also watching over Tamara, ready to act if she seemed to be in danger from Loki. However, Loki was on his best behavior so after a few minutes, Thor let his attention wander to his friends. Steve had noticed that Tamara was alone with Loki so he made his way over to join them, to be followed shortly thereafter by Tony.

It had been two weeks since Tamara's abduction and she was still skittish about being around strange people, yet she showed no fear of Loki. As Steve approached them, he noticed that Loki had bandages covering both hands and he was careful not to use them much. “Loki, look, I know it doesn't mean much but thank you, for sending me to Tamara. She could have died out there, if not for you.” Tony had joined them just in time to hear Tamara ask Loki what happened to his hands. Loki tried to pull them away but Tamara held them lightly, then started to unwind the bandages.

“No, don't, please.”

“Loki, let me help you, why haven't they healed you, why do they continue to allow you to suffer?”

Tamara didn't really expect an answer so she was surprised when a deep voice answered her, “Because he is blocked from all magic to protect him. The only way to prevent his being taken again is to block all contact he has with magic, unfortunately, this means he must suffer as his body slowly heals itself.” Tamara looked up to see Odin walking over to join them. “His wounds are from the night you were taken, he fought against the magic blocking his powers. In the process, he was burned by the magic as it fought with the spells around him, and he was exposed to the magic of the ones who held him as a prisoner, they wounded him again before I was able to block all magic around him.”

“Will my power heal him?”

“I do not know, it is not magic like we use, so it is possible.”

Tamara had finished unwrapping Loki's hands and everyone could see them, the skin still blistered by magic fire. Until they saw the damage for themselves, it was easy to believe that what Loki did was a little thing. Tamara gently took his hands in hers and Loki tried not to flinch at the touch. She closed her eyes, bowed her head and only Steve could see that she was silently crying. Her hands began to glow softly, then just a little brighter as the glow enveloped Loki's hands and spread up his arms. He looked surprised, but then he relaxed as the glow slowly faded. When the glow had vanished completely, Loki's hands were no longer burned, although still painful by the way he moved them gently.

“It will take time for the pain to fade but the injuries are gone now. The nerves are overstimulated and I am not familiar enough to heal that damage.”

“Thank you, you have done more than enough for me. It is only because of you that I am even a little free from those who held me.”

“It was the least I could do, you were suffering because of me.”

Loki gently took Tamara's chin in his hand and raised her head to look at him so he could see the tears glistening in her eyes. “I do not regret my choice, and I would do it again. You are a most unusual mortal and I owe a debt I can never repay.”

They were interrupted then by a servant entering the garden to announce that Lady Sif and the Warriors Three were seeking admittance. Frigga allowed them to enter and join the reunion as she went to Loki's side. Odin left the garden, for he had to run the kingdom; as much as he wished to visit with his son's friends, his duties must come first.

The small group stayed in the garden for hours, with the Avengers hearing tales of Thor and Loki as boys while sharing tales of their experiences on Earth. As the sun began to set, they were ushered inside to share a quiet dinner with the royal family. Once dinner was over, Thor showed them back to their rooms and informed him he would join them again in the morn. The team was glad to sleep, for although they had been excited, they found something in the air made them feel safe and tired.

The next morning Tamara was awake early and she found a young serving lass waiting for her with breakfast. When she inquired about the others, she was informed that they still slept so she asked for the whereabouts of Lady Sif. The serving girl told her Sif was in the stables and offered to show her the way. Tamara was anxious to both visit Sif and the stables, so she readily agreed, leaving a note for her friends. As she followed the girl to the stables, she noticed that Toi was in her natural Asgardian form and not the form she usually wore around others.

The young girl led Tamara to the stables where she found Sif carefully grooming a beautiful gray stallion. The horse snorted nervously as they approached but Sif calmed him easily. “Tamara, I am glad to see you this morn.”

“Thanks, I'm glad to see you again as well. Are you going for a ride, I was hoping to get a chance to go riding myself.”

“Of course, just see the stable master and he will have a groom bring you a horse.” Sif pointed to a small, stooped older man in one corner, tending to a young mare. Tamara approached him carefully and watched as he soothed her as he tried to look at her feet. Tamara noticed she was limping slightly and felt sorry for the poor creature.

“Can I help, I see she is limping.”

The older man looked at her, then nodded, “She is calmer around females, she is still young.”

Tamara approached them carefully and allowed the mare to sniff her hand before leaning over and gently taking the horse's head into her hands. She breathed gently in the horse's face and watched as the horse snorted in surprise, then she began to stroke her carefully, before sliding one hand down to lift her leg. When she picked her foot up, she noticed a small rock wedged into her hoof; holding out her hand, she was pleased when she was handed a hoof pick. She removed the stone, then reached one finger to the bruised hoof, gently allowing a little healing magic to seep into the hoof and ease away the pain.

The old man nodded, pleased with how Tamara had handled the frightened young mare. “You're the mortal girl Thor has befriended. I heard you are an animal friend as well and see he did not exaggerate.”

“I can't bear to see any creature suffer, not when it is a simple matter to ease the suffering. Lady Sif told me to request a horse from you so that I may go riding with her.”

“I am Bran, milady, head of the stables here. I can see you have some knowledge of horses but how well do you ride?”

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance Stableman Bran. But please, just call me Tamara. As for my riding, I have not been able to ride much for several years but before that, I was able to ride almost daily. My mother insisted I be able to ride, even though the Rom seldom use horses any longer.”

“I have heard of your Rom, they are a horse peoples. Go to the paddock on the east side of the barn, whistle and a suitable mount shall approach. Will you need a boy's help to saddle the horse?”

“If it will not bother you, I would prefer to ride bareback with just a light hackamore. I miss the feel of thunder beneath me and a saddle would only hinder me. But I would request a mount that does not mind cats as I wish to take Toi along with me.” Tamara indicated Toi who was in her normal form of an Asgardian snow cat.

“Ah, is this the little one my sister found? I know she was given to Thor as a gift for someone but we had not seen her around. Simply take the cat with you, she will not bother the horses and only those familiar with the cats will approach. I will provide a blanket so the cat may ride in comfort. It would please my sister to see the cat is well.”

“Thank you kind Bran, and I would like to meet your sister later, Toi is a loyal friend and companion.”

Bran nodded and limped off, returning in moments with a sturdy blanket and a soft hackamore and reins. He handed these to Tamara and indicated a door on the eastern wall. Tamara exited the stable and found herself in a small stabling yard with a large pasture beside it. Remembering what Bran had said, she put her fingers to her mouth and whistled sharply. She saw movement on the far side of the field and saw three horses approaching. As they got closer, one stopped and snorted, then veered off, leaving only the other two to continue.

When the two horses reached the fence, Tamara studied them. One was a young dark chestnut stallion with a white blaze on his forehead, the other a pale gray older mare. The two horses waited patiently as Tamara studied them, trying to decide which would be a better mount but Toi decided it for her by approaching the mare and rubbing noses. The young stallion snorted and pranced but didn't move off while the mare blew contentedly as Toi weaved in and out of her feet. Seeing the mare was more comfortable with Toi, Tamara opened the gate and the mare followed Toi out while the younger stallion raced off to rejoin the others grazing.

The mare dipped her head low and Tamara slipped the hackamore over her head before flicking the reins over her neck. She set the blanket on her back but didn't mount yet, although Toi quickly jumped up and took a seat on the mare's back. Tamara led the mare back to the stable where she found Bran waiting.

“I thought it would be her who answered you, did any others come to your whistle?”

“A young dark chestnut stallion did but he seemed a bit restless around Toi. This mare wasn't bothered a bit by Toi underfoot.”

“Her name means Ashes, for her coloring. She is growing older so no longer is used for hunts but yes, she is used to the snow cats. She was my sister's mount for many years, her husband is Master of the Hounds. Come, let me see your experience before you leave with Lady Sif.”

Tamara obediently mounted the mare, then began to guide her in a few circles, changing directions upon Bran's command. After a couple of turns, Tamara could see just how well trained the mare was so she dropped the reins and allowed them to lay flat upon Ashes' neck as she guided her in turns with just leg pressure.

“Excellent, you may ride any horse in the stable, except those with a crest upon the door. Those belong to specific people, such as Lady Sif's horse.”

Sif had her horse saddled and was waiting for Tamara as she rode out of the barn. She nodded her approval when she saw Tamara's mount and led them off towards the nearby woods. Once they reached the woods, Sif stopped and jumped lightly to the ground, walking around carefully before remounting.

Tamara guided Ashes closer to Sif, “You're not just out for a ride, are you?”

“No, there were reports of a large number of boar in this area. I offered to scout them out so that we may have a hunt for the Queen's naming day feast. I have found the trail and they seem to be heading for the lake. Come, we will return to the stables so that the hunt can be sounded.” Sif turned her mount around and rode slowly back to the stables with Tamara following her.


	3. Chapter 3

When they returned to the stables, Tamara carefully brushed Ashes and returned her to the paddock, then headed back to her room with Toi following. When she reached the wing assigned to the Avengers, she was a bit surprised to find Thor already awake and waiting for her.

“Good morning Tamara, you slept well?”

“Wonderfully, I hope no one minds I went to the stables. I took a short ride with Sif and I met your stable master Bran.”

“Master Bran is a good man, did he find you a mount to your liking?”

“Yes actually, I got to ride a mare called Ashes but he said I could ride any of the horses not personally owned. Sif says there will be a hunt for the feast, can I come, please?”

“That is why I am here, I thought you would enjoy joining us, along with anyone else who wishes to come. My mother can arrange suitable attire for you to wear on the hunt but you will need a different mount, Ashes can no longer keep up with the pack.”

Loki had joined them and overheard the last statement, “She is welcome to use my mount, I am unable to participate without full use of my hands. I will give her a charm so he will allow her to mount but you must be gentle with him, he has never known a harsh word or hand.”

“You honor me with your trust, what is his name?”

“ _Villieldr_ , in your language it means Wildfire. He is a beautiful horse and full of spirit, he will carry you safely.”

Tamara followed Loki to his quarters where he gave her a small charm to wear around her neck. “I would not have you use a weapon from the armory. Can you wield a crossbow? I fear you are not strong enough for a boar-spear.”

“I can hunt with a crossbow just fine and I know how dangerous boar are, I'd prefer to keep my distance if possible.”

“Excellent, I do not think your friends will have much knowledge of hunting but I saw your memories, you were often forced to hunt just to survive, weren't you?”

“Yeah, and when failing means not eating, you get good fast, plus I hate to see animals suffer, I won't take a shot if I think I will miss.”

Loki brought out a crossbow and handed it to Tamara. She took it carefully and tested the draw weight, finding that she was able to pull it with only minor difficulty.

“It was mine when I was younger, Mother uses it sometimes when she goes on the hunt for birds, she is a very good shot.” Loki handed Tamara a small quiver full of bolts for the crossbow. “Please be careful, I do not wish to see you hurt.”

Tamara could see that Loki truly did care so she gave him a slight hug which he did not resist. “I promise to stay near Thor and I'll take good care of your horse and your weapon.”

Tamara returned to her room carrying the crossbow and found leather armor laid out for her. The serving girl who was waiting to help her dress informed her that it was armor that Sif had worn when she was younger. As Tamara changed into a soft tunic and leggings, she wondered a bit why everyone was being so nice to her, then decided to just accept it. Tamara carefully strapped her dagger to her waist and made sure both bracelets were secure around her wrists; she knew how dangerous boar could be and she wanted to be prepared in case of accidents. Once she was dressed, she ventured from her room to find the others all gathered. Tony had been invited to attend court that morning with Bruce and Pepper but the others were all interested in at least following the hunt. Tamara carefully picked up the crossbow Loki had handed her and slung the quiver over her shoulder.

Thor entered the wing, followed by Hogun. “My friends, are you ready for the hunt? Come, we are off to the stables.”

As the others followed, Thor led the way to the stables. Tamara was used to hunting parties so she was not overwhelmed by the large crowd of people, horses, and dogs. One dog walked boldly over to Toi and sat down abruptly, then began to wag its tail in greeting. Toi sniffed it cautiously, then rubbed her muzzle against the dog's side before slipping off to follow Tamara.

Thor led Tamara to a quiet corner of the stable where she found Bran waiting with a beautiful blood bay horse. Tamara walked carefully up to the horse, bringing out the charm that Loki had given her. The horse inclined his head to sniff at her before he shifted restlessly. Bran had already slipped a bit-less hackamore over his head and saddled him, so Tamara led him outside so she could mount. She noticed that he had a peculiar blanket and pad covering his rump but when Toi leaped up onto the pad, she realized it was specifically for hunting cats. She mounted Wildfire once she got outside and guided him towards Thor's booming voice.

Wildfire shifted nervously in the crowd but calmed easily when Tamara moved him from the pack. Tamara could hear whispers in the back of the crowd but she ignored them and finally found Volstagg on the edge of the crowd mounted on a large dark brown stallion. She noticed the rest of her friends were nearby with Fandral and Hogun.

“Tamara, I am surprised to see you here.”

“I'm no stranger to the hunt Volstagg. Back home, I often had to hunt to survive.”

“That's not what I meant, I was referring to seeing you mounted on Wildfire, Loki has never permitted another to ride him.”

“Oh, well, I did promise to be gentle with him but tell me more of these boar we hunt.”

“Do they have any wild pig on Midgard?”

“Yes, I have hunted them in the glades before. They can be vicious when cornered or when piglets are present.”

“Yes, well the boar here are much the same but I think you will find they are larger than what you are familiar with.”

“Just how large are we talking?”

“Well, the average adult sow is around 700 lbs with the boars running a little larger, usually around 900 lbs.”

“So instead of the size of a large dog, we're hunting wild boar the size of a bear. OK, do they have the same weaknesses and vital points?”

Further talk with Volstagg was interrupted by the sound of a horn blowing and the hunt was off. The hunt master led them to the area Sif had scouted earlier and then massive hounds were unleashed. The hounds began to track the boar and soon the prey was spotted. As promised, Tamara stayed close to Thor as the hunt went after the wild boar. Tamara saw several go down to hunters and the group following the pack grew smaller. Thor had sighted a boar with part of a spear sticking from the shoulder and was off in pursuit so Tamara followed. Wildfire had no trouble keeping up with Thor's mount as they followed the boar into a ravine.

Tamara became nervous when they entered the ravine and carefully eased Wildfire to a halt, then unslung the crossbow and fit a bolt to it. She made sure the quiver was hanging securely from the saddle where she could easily access it and drew back the drawstring as she listened for any hint of the boar's whereabouts. She heard Thor's horse nearby and then a pained whinny along with the enraged squeal of the boar. Tamara dropped the reins on Wildfire's neck and he moved carefully towards where they heard the noises. Wildfire poked his nose through some brush and she saw Thor on his feet, boar spear in hand, his horse behind him standing on only three legs, a long bloody gash running down his chest into the right foreleg.

Tamara heard rustling in the nearby brush and Thor turned, spear in hand, as the boar emerged. As it raced towards him, he braced himself and thrust the end of the spear into the ground. Tamara leveled the crossbow and fired off a shot before the boar reached Thor. It veered slightly at the last minute and the spear only pierced the shoulder instead of the chest as intended. Tamara reloaded the crossbow twice more and fired additional bolts into the boar but realized they were not large enough to put the massive beast down. She leaped down from Wildfire and pulled her dagger, willing it into a sword. The boar was driving the spear deeper into its shoulder as it tried to get at Thor while he fought to keep the spear braced. Tamara heard more noises behind her and was surprised when Toi raced past her and jumped to the back of the boar and began to rake and tear at it with her claws. Tamara could see blood on Thor's arm where the boar had managed to reach him with a tusk. She knew Thor was unable to deliver a killing blow because only his hold on the spear kept the boar from reaching him and doing serious damage. Toi was all over the boar's back, tearing deep gashes through the thick hide. Tamara tried to stab the boar but the hide was so thick she was unable to do much damage.

The boar reared back suddenly and Toi was thrown to the ground; Thor was forgotten as it turned on Toi, blood dripping down its side from the furrows that Toi's claws had dug. Before Toi could regain her feet, the boar was upon her, stomping at her with its hooves as it tried to drive its tusks into her body. There was a loud scream of pain from Toi as the boar managed to reach her tender belly and then she was again thrown to the side, but this time she did not rise. Thor grabbed the sword from Tamara's grip and charged the boar, driving the sword deep into the chest. As the boar fell, he collapsed on top of it, just a few short steps from Toi.

After a few moments, he stood and pulled the sword loose from the dying boar, then allowed it to fall to the ground as he approached Toi. Tamara had stood frozen in shock as Thor killed the boar yet she reached Toi just as Thor did. Toi's fur was covered in blood and she struggled to rise but Thor laid a gentle hand on her side, restraining her. Tamara was frantic when she found a long jagged wound running down Toi's sleek belly along with other smaller gashes down her sides and she began to cry as she stroked her gently. Toi calmed, although she was still in pain, and Thor removed his hand and left Tamara with her. Thor returned a few moments later with a blanket and gently moved the cat to the blanket, then wrapped it tight around her torn belly.

Tamara sat beside Toi as Thor fetched Wildfire and his horse. He urged Tamara to mount Wildfire and then he lifted Toi up into her lap. Gathering the reins of both horses, he stopped to pick up Tamara's sword, then began to lead them back to the hunt. Several minutes later Tamara could hear someone calling Thor's name and he called back. It wasn't long before Sif came into view, followed quickly after by the Warriors Three. Fandral peeled off from the group and returned back the way they had come when it became apparent that Thor's horse was injured.

Sif reached them first and offered Thor the use of her horse but he refused, asking that she confirm the boar was finished. Volstagg accompanied her while Hogun handed him a pouch. Thor opened the pouch and removed bandages, then lifted Toi from Tamara's lap and laid her on the ground. Opening the blanket, he poured cool water over the wound, then wrapped it tightly with the bandages, finally bundling Toi back up. Tamara had attempted to heal Toi but something was preventing her from using enough magic to heal her fully, although she was able to close the gash on Thor's arm and stop the bleeding on his horse. Thor stopped her before she could do any further healing when he saw her sway slightly as she sat beside Toi on the ground.

Several minutes later a wagon came into view along with the hunt master and the other Avengers. After the wagon pulled to a stop, Thor gently lifted Toi and placed her carefully in the back, then lifted Tamara in to sit beside her. Thor took the reins for the wagon as a stable hand took the reins for both Wildfire and Thor's mount to walk them back to the stable. Clint rode up beside the wagon but when Thor just shook his head, he never said a word. The other Avengers were also nearby but they only watched with concern as Thor got the wagon moving back to the barn. Tamara was oblivious to everyone as she sat in the back of the wagon with Toi in her lap.

It took almost an hour for them to return to the stable and when they finally did, they were met by Bran and an older woman. The woman climbed in the back of the wagon with Tamara and Toi and stroked Toi's side before lifting the bandage to look at the wound as Toi lay quietly, barely even whimpering now. The woman dribbled something into her mouth and then Thor carefully picked the cat up and started back for the palace. Tamara was quiet as she followed Thor not to her room but to the healers. Hakon met Thor as he entered the temple and Thor followed him to a small room. An older woman waited quietly as Thor laid Toi down on a table, then she lifted the bandage to look at the largest wound. Thor spoke quietly to her and when the woman shook her head, Tamara started to cry again.

Thor pulled Tamara to him, stroking her hair as she cried. “Shh, Tamara, it will be fine, they can heal her but she will never be able to bear young.”

“She's not gonna die?”

“No, and I told the healer it matters not if she can bear young for she will not be around her own kind. Come, let me take you back to your rooms, and they will bring Toi to you there when they are through stitching her up. She will sleep now but she will be fine, she was very brave to face the boar as she did.”

Tamara allowed Thor to escort her back to her room where she found a bath waiting for her. She washed the dirt and blood off, then soaked for some time. When the water began to cool, she exited the bath and dressed in a soft gown. She had missed lunch and had no desire to eat but she found Steve waiting for her with a platter of fruit.

“Thor said you needed to eat, so eat. I'll stay with you until they bring Toi but you need to sleep as well. That's an order.”

Tamara stretched out on a small couch and nibbled at some grapes. She was hungry but she was still worried about Toi. She ate very little before she drifted off into a restless sleep on the couch. When Steve was sure she was sound asleep, he moved her to the spacious bed. He got a light blanket and draped it over her, settling himself in a chair near the bed with a sketch pad in hand, just a few minutes before Thor came to check on her. Thor had also gone and cleaned up and he had a long, bright red scratch running down his arm where the boar had gotten him.

“She finally sleeps, good, she should not have done so much healing.”

“She was worried Thor, you know how she gets. Are you sure Toi will be fine?”

“Yes, a healer will be bringing her over here once she wakes back up.”

“What happened, how did Toi get torn up anyways?”

“I followed a wounded boar; as you saw, they are quite large and a wounded animal is very dangerous. It attacked my horse and wounded it, so I was forced to dismount. When it started to charge again, I braced my spear to defend us but it veered and the spear only pierced the shoulder instead of the chest as I intended. Tamara had managed to strike it with her crossbow but it did not stop the beast. After the spear pierced the shoulder, the boar was unable to reach me, but I had to keep hold of the spear. Tamara attacked with her sword but she has not the strength to pierce the hide. Toi attacked as well, and her attack distracted the beast. When it turned on Toi, I was able to kill it with Tamara's sword.”


	4. Chapter 4

The day was turning to dusk as Tamara awoke from her place on the bed. She started to shift but stopped when she felt a weight shift against her right arm. She turned her head, surprised to find herself on top of the blankets for her bed with another blanket draped over her. Steve was seated beside the bed still, sketchbook in hand as he drew while the weight she had felt shift on her right turned out to be Toi. The cat had been carefully washed and her wounds tended and the shallowest cuts were fully healed. The long jagged wound that Tamara had seen on Toi's belly was now no more than an angry red scar.

When Tamara started to wake up, Steve stopped drawing for just a moment but then returned to sketching scenes of Asgard. Once he knew Tamara was actually waking up and not just shifting in her sleep, he set the sketch pad back down. “You feeling better now?”

“Yeah, how long has Toi been back?”

“Maybe an hour or so, she was still a bit groggy when the healer brought her in and laid her beside you. We all thought it best you sleep until you woke on your own or until supper at least. They've been roasting the boar all day for the feast; apparently, they use magic to speed the cooking up a little. I'm going back to my room now but Thor said someone will come help you dress for the feast.”

Tamara just nodded as Steve gathered his art supplies, she was still a little tired but she was relieved that Toi had survived. She lay quietly on the bed, stroking Toi as she dozed. She must have dozed off again because she was awoken by a gentle hand on her shoulder. When she opened her eyes, she found the little serving girl who had shown her to the stables, along with an older woman.

“Miss, we are here to help you prepare for the feast. I will fix your hair once you are dressed. You are still untouched are you not?”

Tamara was confused, “What, I don't know what you mean?”

“You have never lain with a man before, have you? Thor said you are just this year counted an adult among your people.”

“Yeah, but what does that have to do with fixing my hair?”

“There are styles suited for only certain women, such as those for a woman who is married or one who is seeking a mate. The queen has sent over a selection of jewelry but I think we will go with silver for you, it suits you better than gold.”

Tamara blushed, “You mean everyone could know I'm still a virgin, that's embarrassing.”

The older woman took Tamara's hand, “Nay, it is a sign to treat you with respect. Of course, if you are seeking a mate, there are a few styles that would suit you. If your heart is claimed already, there are ways that show you are not available. But the young men will still want to dance with a maid such as yourself.”

“Why me, why is everyone being so nice to me, I'm just a mutant Midgardian.”

“Miss, you have the healing touch, no matter how it is viewed on Midgard, here you are to be respected and cherished, for it is a rare gift.”

Tamara grew quiet, thinking about the difference in how her gift was treated here and how she had been treated in Miami. She allowed the older woman and girl to help her dress, then sat quietly as the woman styled her hair into an intricate braid interwoven with silk ribbons that matched her dress. Once her hair was styled, the woman took out a fine mesh net of silver chain glittering with sapphires and rubies and draped it over her hair so it spilled down the back.

There was a knock at the door and the serving girl went to open it, revealing Thor waiting outside with the other Avengers. Tamara slipped her feet into soft slippers suitable only for indoor wear and went to join the others. Toi jumped lightly down from the bed and followed her out.

“Tamara, I am pleased to see you and Toi both looking well, Mother will be pleased as well.”

“Thanks, Thor. This may be a weird question but what does my hairstyle mean? The lady who fixed it was talking about different styles for different women and stuff like that.”

“I think I know your concerns, and do not fear, she merely gave you a style indicating you are an adult among your people but that you are not seeking a mate.”

Thor led the group towards the main hall where huge tables had been set up for the feast. Frigga and Odin were seated at one end of the long hall and they could see lots of people mingling about. Thor turned to the group and indicated they should wait.

“My father wishes me to formally present you to the court. It would be a sign of respect for you to bow before him but he would understand if you do not, as it is not your custom. If you do choose to bow, it only need be a small bow; that signifies respect rather than acknowledging him as superior to you. After I introduce you, you will be escorted to the high table, where you shall enjoy the feast as ambassadors should.”

Thor took the lead, standing in front of Pepper and Tony behind him. Clint and Tasha followed them with Steve and Bruce next, leaving Jake and Tamara at the rear. When Thor stepped into the great hall, the room quickly grew quiet. He strode a few steps into the room, then stopped and gestured to Tony to step to his right with Pepper. Servants waited on the side and as Thor introduced the team, they were then escorted to seats at the high table. “Odin, Allfather, I am honored to present my companions to the court. Tony Stark, known as the Man of Iron and Lady Pepper Potts, steward of his holdings. Natasha Romanoff, known as the Black Widow, a master of hand-to-hand combat. Clint Barton, known as Hawkeye, an archer who skills are unsurpassed. Bruce Banner, known as the Hulk, a mighty warrior and Steven Rogers, known as Captain America, a skilled commander, and leader of these warriors. Jake Alwyn, healer.” Thor took Tamara's hand in his and led her closer to his parents. “And Tamara Crisco, healer and heart-sister with the snow cat she calls Ming Toi.”

Tamara bowed before Odin and Frigga then Thor led her to a seat at the high table beside Loki. Only after she was seated did Thor take his place beside Odin.

Loki leaned over and whispered to Tamara, “Do you know what Thor did?”

Tamara shook her head 'no'.

“He announced to the court that he counts you as a sister. Since neither Odin nor Frigga denied him that claim, you will be treated as a member of the royal family. It was a bold move but it pleases me, it limits those who can seek your hand for even a dance, and prevents anyone suggesting anything more.”

“I'll make sure to tell him thank-you later then. Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, the pain is almost vanished. Your friend Jake is a most unusual human, but that is not all he is, now is it?”

“Ask him yourself.”

Loki studied Jake as the feast wore on but he couldn't quite figure out what it was that made this human different. His musings were interrupted by the sound of the doors opening and he looked up from his plate. He saw a guard beckon to a serving lass and he whispered something to her. She bobbed her head several times, then quickly left the room. The guard approached the high table and knelt before Odin, placing his right hand over his heart.

“My liege, there are additional guests approaching. Heimdall sends word that the Norns are on the way to the palace.”

Frigga took command at once, for though Odin was the ruler of Asgard, in all matters of the home and guests, Frigga was in charge. “Quickly, bring them wine and fruit, set them a table.”

A small group of servants arrived with a small table and three chairs which they placed near the high table but a little behind it. The table was piled high with fruits and goblets of wine, with only a small quantity of meat. Three young serving children were rushed into the room and each took a place beside a chair at the small table.

The door opened again, this time to reveal three women dressed in simple robes. They did not bow to Odin or Frigga, merely walked to the table that had been hurriedly set and each took a seat. The great hall was quiet the entire time until they were seated and then slowly, the buzz of conversation began to resume. It quickly stopped when the largest wild cat Tamara had ever seen walked slowly through the door. It stopped before the high table and looked at Odin before dipping its head in imitation of a bow. It then walked around the table and stretched out beside the small table and appeared to go to sleep, but Tamara knew better, she could tell it was watching her or more accurately, Toi.

“Loki” she hissed “what is that cat and why is it staring at Toi?”

“It is one of the mountain cats, they are related to the species to which Toi belongs, but as you can see, they are much larger. They are also very rare and it is considered an honor to be in the presence of one but I know not why that one is here.”

“It reminds me of many of our wild cats back home, just a whole lot larger. Just how big is that cat, it's gotta be close to a thousand pounds?”

Her conversation with Loki was interrupted when she felt a paw on her arm; looking down she saw Toi gazing up at her with a questioning look on her face. Ignoring what everyone expected of her, Tamara slid her chair back and knelt beside Toi. She stroked her back and tickled her ears, something she knew Toi enjoyed, and she was rewarded with a soft rumbling purr. When Toi took a step towards the huge cat, Tamara never hesitated to follow her, she had absolute faith in Toi.

Toi led Tamara over to the huge cat and Tamara was in awe at just how massive he was. He was large-boned like a tiger; silvery-gray fur covered most of the body but with darker gray rosettes outlined in black and some black stripes and spots on his lower body. The tail had to be at least a third of his length with black spots and she noticed that he seemed to be very long-limbed in comparison to the body size. The feet were larger than she expected for a cat that size and she could see feathering between the toes which she figured was to help them walk in the snow. Like Toi, he had violet eyes, although they were a deeper color than Toi's. The head was small and compact and reminded her of Amber while the ears were triangular; standing erect with tufts of fur shielding the tender inner ear.

Toi approached the great cat and bowed her head before it, then slowly walked up and nuzzled it. When the cat opened his mouth, it looked as though it could swallow Toi in a single bite but he merely inhaled deeply, as though he were scenting her and it made Tamara wonder if it had a Jacobson's organ like cats did back home. He gently licked Toi's face, then stopped when Toi shifted her weight. Toi walked around him and then began to groom him, and Tamara finally stepped closer. She was close enough that she knew it could easily tear her apart but she wasn't afraid since he had been so gentle with Toi. When she reached out a hand to it, the cat took her hand in his teeth but just held it while it looked at her, as though waiting to see how she would react. Tamara didn't panic, she trusted Toi, and when the cat let go of her hand, she reached up and gently stroked one tufted ear. She began to massage the ear and heard a rumbling noise and stopped, but when the noise did as well, she realized the huge animal was purring.

She was preoccupied with the cat and did not notice the way the three women studied her and Toi. But she did notice when Thor came and knelt beside her. The huge cat allowed him to stroke it gently once, then shook its head and Thor backed off.

“Tamara, come, it is time to return to the feast. Do you wish to dance? Only my friends would be so bold as to seek a dance with you now.”

“I think I'd rather just watch but I appreciate the offer.”

Thor escorted Tamara back to the table and then he joined Sif on the floor for a dance. Tamara watched as Tony and then Clint led the ladies onto the dance floor but she had no desire to join them. She noticed that the healer Eir was present and was pleased when she made her way over to the table. 

“Lady Eir, I am pleased to see you again.”

“And I am pleased to see you have recovered.”

“I would like to introduce you to some of my friends, Bruce and Jake, and you remember Steve, he brought me here with Thor.”

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance and I look forward to meeting your other friends later. But for now, I have someone else to see to.” With that cryptic statement, Eir left them and went to join the Norns.

Tamara was careful with what she ate and drank, taking subtle cues from Loki. But she was tired from the healing she had done earlier in the day so she was glad when Loki leaned over to whisper that they were all leaving the feast to retire to a smaller, more intimate setting. She saw Thor speak to Tony and then Clint and they exited the hall, followed by his friends. She noticed that Odin and Frigga had already left, along with Jake and Bruce, leaving Loki to escort her and Steve to wherever they were meeting.

Loki led them back towards the royal quarters and into a smaller hall lined with comfortable couches and chairs. It had a fireplace at each end and a warm fire was burning. Tamara yawned sleepily and made her way to one of the couches near the fire and got comfortable, then shifted to allow Toi to join her. She had started to doze off when she heard strange voices join the familiar ones.


	5. Chapter 5

The strange voices Tamara heard turned out to belong to the Norns who were accompanied by Eir and the huge cat. The cat came and lounged near the fire while the Norns joined Frigga and Odin at a small table. After several minutes discussion, Thor motioned to his friends who went and closed the doors at each end of the hall, then stood in pairs to guard each set of doors. Tamara didn't have time to wonder what was occurring for one of the Norns moved to stand in the center of the room.

Without lifting her head or removing her hood, she began to speak in a soft, gentle voice. “Many centuries ago, Loki and Thor journeyed to Midgard as children with Odin. While there, they saw a young mortal boy defend a babe from raiders. Loki and Thor were impressed with the courage of the boy and when they asked; Odin allowed them to join the battle. The boy was successful in getting the girl child away from the raiders but when he was cornered by several, he was severely wounded. Thor had followed several raiders who were making off with another girl while Loki was left alone with the wounded boy and the babe. Loki had not been studying magic long and his knowledge of healing magics was very rudimentary. The boy begged him to take the babe to safety, willing to give his life for her, though she was not related. Instead, Loki attempted to heal him and although he saved the boy's life, the wound left him a cripple. The babe was a born healer, a daughter of Eir, and the entire raid was an attempt to steal her, for daughters of Eir were rare and valued among the warring tribes. The tribe where she was born was virtually destroyed, yet because of this babe, they were welcomed into a much larger tribe. The boy went to live with the healers since he could not be a warrior and was charged with the protection of the girl. As she grew, they became close and eventually wed; she bore him several children, including another daughter of Eir. But this child was different, for she bore a unique birthmark that has been seen only in children of that line and only on the daughters of Eir. Tamara bears that mark and it is how it was known at her birth that she was special. As she grew it was hidden, for this mark is on the crown of the head.”

Another of the Norns moved forward and began to speak; her voice sounded more mature and experienced. “Loki and Thor visited Midgard many times as a youth. While Thor was busy exploring the lands, Loki spent much of his time watching the boy as he grew. On occasion, he would meet with the boy and as he aged much slower, the boy soon realized that Loki was not mortal but one of those they called their gods. It was with great joy that the boy told Loki of his plans to wed the girl and asked his blessing but Loki did more than that. He had seen that the girl had a good heart and truly loved the boy, even though she was never told he had risked his life to save hers. Loki swore an oath to grant one true desire to that boy, or one of his line, as a gift to the boy before he wed. The boy never had any desires beyond the life he had and when he passed on, he was an old man. He counted himself as wealthy for he had an abundance of friends and a large family to leave as his legacy. He never told anyone of the oath Loki made, fearing it would be wasted on something foolish. He knew that if the need were great enough, Loki would know when it was time to honor that oath.”

The last of the Norns stepped forward, her voice sounded ancient and gravelly. “Over the centuries, most of the lines of the daughters of Eir have died out and the gifts have returned to Eir. Tamara's line is one which has not died out and the other line has only born male children for so long that the legends have been forgotten. Of the line from which Tamara was born, only four children exist at this time. The first two lines diverged from Tamara's during a time of great death across the old lands. One lies in a sleep, much like the Odinsleep even though he has recovered from his wounds. Another is one of you and we know not for sure which it is, yet we have been given clues. We are here to help you determine which of you is this child. The last child, the one who controls energy, that line diverged in the new lands, when a great war tore the country apart, this child is also known to Tamara. We know not his name, yet he speaks in an unusual tongue at times and has eyes which glow like fire in the dark.”

Tamara stood and approached the Norns, then bowed low in respect. “Great ladies, when Thor relayed the message about the child, I had an idea who it might be. His name is Remy LeBeau but he is known as Gambit for he is a mutant among our people. From the first time I met him, I felt a connection with him. As you described, he has eyes that glow like fire in the dark and his power is the ability to charge items with the kinetic energy stored inside them. When I spoke with him about joining us here, he said it mattered not, for I am his heart-sister. Is there a way to know if he truly is my brother kin?”

The eldest Norn spoke, “Only Loki has the magic to determine that for you. He is connected to the children of the boy he saved and if they were to meet, he would know them once he is free from the magic of the ones who held him captive.”

“Thank you great ladies, but which of my fellow warriors is my brother kin, or is it a sister kin I have?”

“You are the only female of the line that remains, your brother kin is a man who has known great suffering and the loss of his parents before he became an adult. He was never trained as a warrior yet he fights to defend his country both with his body and his mind. He has a power unlike any other, it has the potential to do great good but yet it could lead to his death.”

Tamara turned and studied the men of the team. “Well, all of you lost your parents before you became adults and all of you have suffered. But Steve and Clint, you both have trained as soldiers so I don't think it is either of you. Tony and Bruce both have a power that no other person has; Bruce has Hulk and Tony has the arc reactor. But I think it may be Tony because I know if the arc reactor fails it could kill him but Hulk has repeatedly saved Bruce's life by forcing the change, but how do we tell for sure?”

Loki approached the group, “The easiest way to test this idea of yours would be for Stark to state his true desire. If I can feel the magic pull then he is indeed your brother kin, if not, then Banner can state his desire. But I do believe you are correct in that it cannot be either the Captain or the archer and your Widow is very definitely not a brother. Are the two of you willing to try this? The magic binds me to grant a single person of this line what they desire most, it is not the words you say that matter, the magic will know what you truly desire.”

Frigga had listened quietly, “I know you have all seen my son at his worst, yet that was not him, he is defenseless against you without his magic. Just as you can be overcome if the enemy is stronger, so can we. Loki is not to blame for his actions, and more than once he fought against what he was ordered to do; instead of killing Thor, he merely wounded him. Yes, he killed many people, but he was not in control, you know not what it is like when you are forced to obey another. Do any of you know the pain of torture, of believing that everyone you love thinks you dead and to give up all hope of rescue? As a mother, I would ask you to help my son, free him from those who abused him, you will find him more formidable as an ally than an enemy.”

Tony had listened quietly, as had everyone else but he understood what Loki had gone through. Pepper squeezed his hand lightly, she knew Tony had gone through months of everyone except for three people believing he was dead and so he had rescued himself. “I'm willing to try, how does it work, I just say what I wish for?”

“Not exactly, you must say what it is you desire but you must clear your thoughts of anything else, it will not matter if there are other things your heart desires, but you must truly want what you ask for.”

“Do I need to do it now or can it wait, I would like to discuss it with the team first. If we can free you of this hold, what will you do?”

“I would like to accompany you back to Midgard, to help protect your people. I cannot bring back the dead or undo what I have done, but I can try to make up for it. I fear the ones who held me will attempt to destroy your planet, they do not take losing very well. All I ask for is a second chance, but I must warn you, though I will never harm any of you, sometimes I just can't stop myself from playing tricks.”

The youngest of the Norns spoke again, “Before you leave to discuss this matter, there is another matter to discuss but it may be difficult. The mountain cat is here for a purpose but only Tamara can fulfill that purpose because Toi is bonded to her. The cat is dying, slowly and painfully, and he seeks the release of his andi-sik, what you might call the soul. He has the ability to pass certain gifts of his kind to another upon death, and he has traveled here because Toi is the most worthy of his smaller cousins. The choice is Tamara's alone, he came to Eir seeking to the death-blow but if Tamara chooses to do this for him, he will be able to pass his gifts to Toi. It is a great honor, both to be asked to aid one of these great creatures, and to receive such a gift.”

Tamara looked at the huge cat, then down at Toi, she could feel the sadness radiating from Toi. Kneeling beside the beast, she took its head in her hands and stroked it gently while using her healing touch to read how it suffered. The cat chirruped softly at her, then rubbed his head against her shoulder, almost knocking her down in the process. She could feel his pain and knew that he had not sought the death-blow sooner because he somehow knew his gifts were needed. She nodded softly, accepting the task of easing his pain, not caring one bit that Toi would benefit.

Eir joined Tamara beside the cat, “Come, child, you must rest now. He wishes to be freed when the moon rises high in the sky. You must all rest until then.”

Tamara left the room with Eir as Toi and the cat followed them back to her room. Tamara climbed into the massive bed and Toi joined her, snuggling her head under Tamara's chin like they did at home. The big cat hesitated for only a moment before climbing into the bed with them, stretching his body out on his side and barely touching Tamara. Eir pulled a chair close to the fireplace and began to hum softly; in no time, Tamara was asleep. While she slept, she dreamed she could feel the great cat padding through her thoughts as though reassuring himself he had chosen correctly.

Eir woke her several hours later and Tamara dressed not in a fancy dress, but in the hunting clothes that Sif had lent her. Eir led her out to a balcony and the huge cat followed, then stretched himself out in the moonlight. Eir handed her a simple knife made of pure silver. “You must make a swift cut, severing the jugular; as he bleeds, a stone will form from his blood. It will be small but you should take this stone and present it to Toi, she will know what to do. No one can help you release him, or touch the stone but you. In the wild, the one he had chosen would bite his neck to sever the jugular but with a bonded friend, it is different.”

“What will happen to Toi? I mean, it won't harm her, will it?”

“To be honest, I know not, for Toi has been altered by your blood when you bonded. Usually, the gift brings a longer life and faster healing, better skills in battle, they can inherit the knowledge of the giver.”

Tamara knelt beside the massive cat and softly stroked his side. He purred softly, then more strongly as Tamara began to cry just a little. But she could feel his pain and knew he needed this; she reached under his chin and rubbed his throat as his purr turned to a loud rumble. When he tipped his head back, she drew the silver knife across his jugular in one swift move. She watched the light in his eyes fade as his blood spilled on the ground and begin to pool where it began to form a small stone, no bigger than a marble. To Tamara's surprise, the body of the dying cat began to fade out as the stone formed and when the stone was fully formed, it vanished completely.

Tamara gently picked up the small stone and showed it to Toi. Toi sniffed at the stone, then tapped it with a claw, causing a small piece to split off. Toi nudged that piece aside, then picked the larger piece up in her mouth and swallowed it. _'Sister, he gives you a gift as well, swallow this and it will strengthen our bond.'_ Tamara never hesitated, she picked up the small piece of stone and placed it on her tongue, then swallowed it quickly. Tamara followed Eir back to her room and climbed into bed and in no time at all, she was again asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

It was late when Tamara awoke the next morning and the little serving girl was seated by the fire, watching her as she slept. When she saw Tamara was awake, she ran quickly from the room, only to return a few minutes later with Thor. He said nothing as he waited for her to dress but when she returned to the main area, she found breakfast was waiting for her. Toi jumped down from the bed and padded softly over to Tamara, jumped into her lap and then nuzzled her arm.

_'Sister, I know what the hunter intended but I did not wish to frighten you. Things will seem different to you for a time but you can learn to ignore these changes.'_

_'Why Toi, why me? Why is all this happening to me?'_

_'Only the Norns may know and even they cannot see everything, only the possibilities. And why not you, you are kind and gentle yet you would sacrifice yourself for others, you deserve this gift. I wish to visit Master Bran and his sister later, but I must go alone. Fear not, they will understand when I arrive. Last night, I dream-walked with he who gave us these gifts and I know what to expect but it can wait until we return home. Now hush and pay attention, Thor looks worried.'_ Toi nudged Tamara with her nose and she looked up into Thor's deep blue eyes.

“I'm fine Thor, just having a little chat with Toi about what happened last night. What did everyone decide about Loki?”

“They all wish to help him, even friend Hawk; in spite of the pain Loki caused him, he has forgiven him that. They were merely waiting for you to awaken before Tony attempts to free my brother.”

Tamara walked with Thor back to the small hall they had met in the night before. Loki was not yet present but the other Avengers were there, along with Sif and the Warriors Three. Odin had arranged a mini-tournament of sorts so that any who wished could see the skills of the warriors whom Thor fought with. There were many who thought Thor had exaggerated the skills of his companions, especially Hawkeye's accuracy with a bow and Tasha's skill at hand-to-hand combat. Loki joined them quickly after Tamara was awake and he seemed genuinely glad to see her. Tony joined them and got right to business.

“So is there any special way to do this, or do I just state what I want.”

“Tony, we know I can free him, if you don't want to try, then I will do it myself.”

“It's fine kiddo, besides, we all agree that when Nicky finds out Loki had contact with you before this visit, he might think you were compromised and tricked into this. OK, Reindeer games, my true desire is for you to be free of all oaths you have sworn, except the ones designed to protect Tamara.”

Steve was concerned “Tony are you sure that's the best way to phrase it?”

“Fear not Captain, Thor did tell you that I have only given my oath a handful of times. The oath to Tamara, the oath that keeps me prisoner and the oath to Tamara's ancestor are the only oaths I have sworn, that I can recall. Stark's choice of words is wise for it will free me of any oaths I may have sworn while under the power of the Chitauri masters as well, even if I do not recall giving my oath.”

“So what now, is it working?”

“Odin must release the shield that is preventing magic from reaching me before we will know. Thor sent ..” Loki suddenly screamed and Tamara tried to reach him but Thor pulled her away. As his connection to magic was restored, Loki's hands burst into magic-fueled flame, causing him to scream again. He regained control of his magic causing a green glow to surround his hands; it was a green tinged with red but slowly the red faded away until Loki collapsed into a heap on the floor.

Thor released Tamara when Loki collapsed and she knelt by his side, taking his hands in hers but then she noticed that the burns were slowly fading until his skin was blue, which then changed to match the rest of his skin. “Loki, did it work? Please, talk to me.”

“I think it worked, I no longer hear the voice, no longer feel that repulsive touch upon my mind. I must return to my quarters, Odin has shielded them against magic. It is the only safe place for me until Syn can return and determine if the bonds to that creature are gone. Mother sent word to her this morn that Tony wished to try to free me, she will be here soon. I will be able to see the weapons yard from my quarters, I wish to watch you test your skills against our warriors.”

Thor led them all out to the weapons yard, passing by Loki's room on the way. When they reached the yard, Tamara realized that Toi had vanished, off to the stables she assumed. A large crowd of warriors was gathered in the yard, some were practicing, although most were just watching.

The first thing they noticed was the targets scattered about the weapons yard and that several warriors were armed with bows. Thor spoke quietly to Clint, then motioned the other Avengers to the side. One of the waiting warriors handed Clint a bow and quiver and arming gear. He slipped the guards onto his arms then tested the draw strength of the bow. Once he was satisfied, he nodded to Thor who signaled the archers to begin. Over a dozen archers each tried the targets and most scored almost perfect bulls-eyes on them, leaving Clint to go last. Clint had watched as the other archers each had a turn, then he moved to the center of the yard. He looked over at Thor and held up 3 fingers, then waited while Thor motioned for two additional rounds worth of arrows were brought to him. Clint added those arrows to the quiver, then settled it onto his back. Pulling his first arrow, he began to fire non-stop at the targets, going through every arrow and hitting each target three times. Even the Asgardian archers were impressed with his skill, for every single arrow had struck the center of the bulls-eye, in some cases, splitting the arrow already there. Clint rejoined the team and they waited while the yard was cleared of targets.

When a huge man stepped into the center of the yard Thor looked over and motioned to Bruce, then spoke softly to him. Tamara saw him shake his head 'no' until finally, he gave in. Thor handed him something and he left for a moment, then returned wearing Asgardian style pants. Thor placed a hand on his shoulder and pointed to the huge man who waited patiently. Bruce shrugged, then started walking towards the man but halfway there, he changed. The man smiled when he saw Hulk and immediately charged. Bruce had gotten better at communicating with Hulk and he understood this was just like training but that didn't stop him from going all out. When the man reached him, Hulk dug in and lifted him over his head, then tossed him aside. The man laughed and got up but he was warier this time. Hulk just waited to see what he would do and that was enough to provoke the man into charging again. This time Hulk tossed him to the ground and wrestled him into submission. When the man quit struggling, Hulk released him, then started walking back towards the others. The man charged yet again, and this time, Hulk simply punched him, sending him flying across the yard to land unconscious against the far wall. He reached the others and turned, glaring at the man, then morphed back into Bruce who collapsed against Tony's side.

Several men moved to positions around the perimeter and Thor studied them carefully, then motioned to Tasha. It was clear he had discussed this with her because she simply walked into the middle of the yard, then just stood still. One man approached and Tasha just studied him, then she turned and motioned to the others to join them. When they stopped, she was surrounded by six men and Tamara wanted so much to laugh. It was clear that one man was the leader for he swung at Tasha first. She dodged his blow, then attacked one of the others and soon it was a free-for-all with Tasha against the six men. In less than 10 minutes, every one of them was down, some unconscious while Tasha just stood still, breathing heavily. She bowed her head slightly in the direction where Odin was seated watching them before returning to the rest of the Avengers.

Tamara expected Steve or Tony to be next so she was surprised when she felt Thor place his hand on her shoulder. “Tamara, my father wishes to see how you fight, as he has already seen for our companions. Will you demonstrate your skills as the others have done?”

“Yeah, I guess so, but he understands I'm really just the medic, I don't fight unless I have to, right?”

“He understands, and he has asked for only those skilled in the staff to test you. I have faith in your skills, you can beat them all as Tasha did.”

Tamara noticed Toi slipping through the crowd until she was under Loki's balcony. When she gave a leap into a tree and began to climb, Tamara realized she could really give Odin a show. “You want a real show, then have the best one sit it out. I'll go against the others like Tasha did, then I'll go against the best, on my terms.”

Thor nodded, then sent a servant over to the clustered men. One stepped aside then the others stepped into the yard, each holding a simple wooden staff. Thor had apparently known Tamara would accept the challenge because he had a wooden staff ready for her. Tamara took it in her hands, then stepped into the center of the group. She bowed in Odin's direction, then turned to face the group of five men. They spread out around her but she just stood still, waiting for one of them to make the first move. When one did attack, it was the one behind and to her left, she countered easily and flowed into an attack on a different man. For several minutes, she countered the attacks against herself and then attacked, until she decided to get serious and she concentrated on taking them out.

Once she had taken out all five of those men, she stepped back over to Thor where she found someone had brought a pitcher of juice out. After she had a couple minutes rest, she stepped back to the center of the yard, but she had a scarf with her. She held her staff in the crook of her arm as she folded the scarf several times, then she tied it over her eyes and ears as a blindfold. She concentrated on her bond with Toi and gradually, things began to come into focus. She tapped the staff on the ground, then waited while the last man walked into the yard. He looked over at Thor, who merely nodded; then he struck at Tamara, who quickly blocked the blow. With this contest being one-on-one, it did not last as long as the other, in spite of the fact that she was blindfolded. In less than ten minutes, Tamara had deprived him of his staff and had him on the ground, her staff at his throat. Pulling the blindfold off, she turned back towards Odin and again bowed, then she rejoined Thor and the others.

When Tamara returned to the Avengers, she found Thor was not present; instead he was off to the side with a servant. It only took a minute before he was back with the others and ushering them inside. He led them back towards their quarters but stopped in the hall and turned to them. “I know you all brought your weapons and armor; there is a matter which requires my attention in Alfheim; it will delay my return to Midgard. Sif and the Warriors Three are accompanying me there but it would please me if you all joined us. My parents have assured me that Pepper will be safe here with Jake.”

Pepper nodded, “Go, I'll be fine here, but I want Jake to go with you or at least a healer from here. None of you are invincible and I want help there quickly. And don't even say it, I know Tamara will be with you, but what if something happens to her?”

“You are wise Lady Pepper, Jake will accompany us and you may stay in my rooms in the royal quarters. Syn has arrived to visit Loki, she will confirm if the hold over him is gone. If it is, he will join us in Alfheim, it will be an easy matter for him to teleport there but we shall travel there in longboats.”

Everyone hurried to their rooms to change into their armor and gather their weapons. They were all able to suit up rapidly and they gathered in the hall. Thor led them outside to a different part of the castle where they found the longboats were actually flying boats. Hogun and Fandral were in one boat while Sif and Volstagg were in another. Thor had Clint and Tasha join Hogun and Fandral, while he had Bruce, Tony and Jake join him, leaving Tamara and Steve to join Volstagg and Sif. Before they could leave, Toi jumped into the boat with Tamara and curled up in her lap.


	7. Chapter 7

The flight to Alfheim only took about two hours and along the way, the Asgardians explained the situation to the Avengers. Alfheim was home to three varieties of elves; these were the light elves, the ice elves and a very rare and seldom seen subspecies known as cat elves. Trolls had been spotted in Alfheim and they were attacking light elf villages. Odin had sent a group of warriors to deal with that threat, however, Thor was one of the few who knew where the cat elves lived. Word had come to Odin this morning that several cat elves had been captured by trolls, their steeds presumed killed. Some of the captives might include children and Thor was being tasked with rescuing and escorting these elves home.

When they arrived in Alfheim they were met by a single elf who introduced himself as Faradei. Sif quietly informed Tamara that he was typical of the light elves. She told them that most light elves were around 4 ½' tall and around 140-160 lbs. Instead of being stocky like she expected Tamara noticed that the light elves she could see were very slender and willowy so she figured much of their weight had to be in bone mass. Faradei gave Thor directions and the longboats again took off, this time only traveling for about a half hour before Thor had them set the boats down.

Thor had them land in a small ravine at the base of a mountain and they covered the boats to hide them from sight. “We must be careful, the elves may be injured and they do not know you. If you find any, take them and leave immediately, bring them back here. You need to only say one thing to them _'hamarr vinr_ ', it means hammer friend. Jake, I want you to stay here, I do not know what kind of injuries they may have. Tamara, save your healing only for those who are seriously wounded. Faradei says they may have as many as 20 elves captive, if we do find any of their steeds, we will free them as well but the people come first. As for the trolls, kill them or not, but make sure they cannot follow us.”

Thor led the rescue party out of the ravine and up the mountain, then divided them into three separate parties. Tamara was placed into the party Sif led along with Clint and Tasha. The Warriors Three were another group while Bruce, Steve, and Tony stayed with Thor. Thor continued straight up the mountain while Sif's group went around to the left, leaving the Warriors Three to go up on the right side.

After about 10 minutes, Sif motioned the others close, then signaled for silence. They peered through the bushes at the troll camp where they could see over a dozen of the creatures gathered around a fire. Something large was cooking on the fire and Tamara could feel Toi's anger, making her wonder what the trolls were eating. They waited patiently for the others to get into position, then Sif must have gotten the signal she was waiting for. She stood and charged into the camp with Tasha following her. Clint had found a convenient tree for a perch and was shooting at trolls from above. Tamara followed Tasha in but Toi nudged at her leg, guiding her to one side of the camp where a large covered wagon was stopped. She moved towards the side of the wagon only to see a troll move towards the back. Tamara drew her dagger and willed it into a sword and prepared to attack but she was stopped by the sound of growling behind her. She turned slightly to see a huge cat, much like the mountain cat that had come to the palace; only this one was even larger. It charged the troll and attacked, tearing at it with both sets of claws until it collapsed. It stood over the body, then gave a soft chirrup, and Tamara hurried to the wagon. It was dark inside but she could dimly make out figures inside so she carefully repeated the phrase Thor had told them.

Taking her sword, she swung at the lock on the wagon but couldn't break it. She started to swing again but caught sight of Steve running her way. He used his shield to smash the lock, then Tamara opened the door and crawled inside. Toi was right behind her and she could better make out the figures crowded into the corner fearfully. Toi stepped forward and mewed, then turned back to Tamara and nuzzled her. This seemed to reassure the captives for they began to move closer. Tamara backed out of the wagon and found Steve standing guard while Sif had several horses waiting.

Tamara turned back to the wagon and took the arms that reached out for her, thinking it was a child. She set the figure on the ground and they ran quickly to Sif who set them horseback. Tamara helped several more down and most ran to Sif who also set them horseback but some stayed. When a much smaller figure was handed out to her, Tamara realized that the first one had to be the adults. Tamara handed the child to a waiting adult who then went to Sif to be placed up on a horse. When no one else was climbing out of the wagon, Tamara climbed back inside to check, only to find a figure with a huge gash in its side; she knelt and placed a hand over the gash and used a little of her power to stop the bleeding. She could hear Sif leaving with the horses and she hoped this was the last of the captives. Steve called to her but she was focused on trying to heal the figure and didn't reply. When she heard a groan from the figure, she gently picked it up and handed it out to Steve, then followed him back towards the edge of the woods.

Toi was beside her most of the time but she veered off and Tamara followed, too busy following Toi to tell Steve she was leaving. When Toi disappeared into some bushes, Tamara started to follow but she was stopped by sight of the huge cat again. It mewed pitifully at her, almost a cry, and she ducked into the bushes following it. When she found it again, it was tugging at the body of another large cat, except this one had wings. The winged cat was severely injured and bleeding as it tried to follow the gray cat. When it collapsed to the ground, the gray cat tugged at its neck, then nosed at its belly. Tamara hurried to the winged cat but she could see its eyes already beginning to glaze in death. The strange gray cat nudged Tamara, then the winged cat's belly and Tamara noticed it was swollen and she realized the dying cat was a pregnant female. Changing her sword back into a dagger, she took it and began to slit the dead cat's belly open. She heard a noise behind her but she stayed focused on her task, hoping the gray cat would protect her. It turned out not to be needed as the noise ended up being Thor looking for her.

“Tamara, come, we have all the captives, we must leave.”

“Thor, I need a hand here.”

“What are you doing?”

“She just died, I might be able to save the babies but I need a hand. This gray cat is insisting I help, please, I can't let them die.”

Thor took his cloak off and laid it on the ground beside the dead cat, then used both hands to pull the belly open as Tamara cut. Tamara cut deeper until liquid gushed out of the cavity, then she reached inside and pulled out a cub. She laid the wet cub on Thor's cloak and the gray cat started to lick it as she pulled out two more cubs. After making sure there were no more cubs, she turned to find that the gray cat had cleaned off two of the cubs and was cleaning the third. They were mewling softly as Tamara wrapped them loosely in Thor's cloak. She picked the cloak up and cradled it in her arms, then let Thor lead her back to the waiting longboats. The gray cat disappeared along the way but when they arrived at the last longboat, they found Toi waiting for them. Thor easily picked Tamara up and set her inside the longboat with Steve, then joined her as Sif got it airborne.

“What took so long?”

“Tamara found one of their steeds, she was with her as she died but we have something to take back with us as well.” Thor pulled one corner of his cloak open and Sif could see the cubs squirming around inside it. Toi edged closer to Tamara and nudged at the cloak until Tamara laid it down on the floor of the longboat. Toi curled up with the cubs and began to groom them, purring softly until the cubs all were asleep.

“How long until we get to their home Thor, these cubs need to eat.” There was a sudden flash of green light and Loki had joined them in the longboat.

“Brother, I see your mission was a success.”

“Loki, I have a task for you, you know where the village is, take Tamara and Toi there immediately, she has a litter of newborn cubs for them. Let the chief know that we have rescued their people and I am bringing them home with the help of friends.”

Loki held his hand out to Tamara, “Come, cradle the cubs in one arm and take my hand. Your cat can perch on your shoulder, can it not?”

Tamara nodded and picked up the cubs as Toi jumped lightly to her shoulder. Loki took her hand in his and in a flash of green light they were gone.

“Are you sure that was wise, asking Loki to watch over her?”

“My brother may be a trickster but he gave his oath to protect her; he will not allow her to come to any harm.”

One minute Tamara and Loki were in the longboat with Thor and then they were in a wooded glade. There were noises around them and then they were surrounded by elves, none of them over 3' tall but all armed. Loki said something to one of them but it was clear they did not trust him. Tamara felt dizzy and weak so she sat down on the ground, not thinking how the elves might react. One thrust a spear towards Tamara but before Loki could react the large gray cat was standing beside her.

_'MINE'_

From the reactions of the elves and Loki, it was clear they had heard the cat's mental shout, as well as Tamara, did. The elves lowered their weapons but did not back off. The gray cat nudged Tamara's arms where she held Thor's cloak, then chirruped several times. A winged cat came out of the forest and approached Tamara warily, so Tamara laid the cloak down gently and pulled it open. When the winged cat saw the cubs it chirruped as well and more winged cats came out of the woods and joined the first. The gray cat picked up a cub and carried it over to the winged cats, repeating the process until all three cubs were before them. The winged cats picked up the cubs and vanished back into the forest.

“Loki, I don't feel so good.”

“It is the teleport spell, it makes some people ill until they get used to it. Just rest and I will stand guard, you are safe here but we must wait for Thor. He will not be long in getting here, they are sending warriors to watch for them now.”

Tamara was nauseous from the teleport spell but she was curious about these tiny elves and their winged cats. She sat watching as they waited for Thor to arrive when she felt something crawling on her arm. She smashed it, but she didn't think anything about it until her arm started to itch. 

She was scratching absently at her arm when Loki came to join her. “What is wrong Tamara, why are you scratching like that?”

“Something bit me.”

“Let me see,” Loki took her arm and pulled the sleeve up, to find a rash spreading rapidly across her arm. “Did you see what it was, there are some poisonous insects in these woods.”

Tamara pointed to the smashed creature and Loki picked it up with his magic and studied it for a moment. “Just a wood crawler, they are not dangerous. A bite should not bother you at all, I'm taking you back to Thor and the others.”

Loki picked Tamara up and Toi was in her arms in a minute. With a flash of green light, they were gone from the glade. Thor was surprised when Loki reappeared in the longboat with Tamara in his arms.

“What happened, why are you back?”

“She was bitten by a wood crawler I think, but it has made her ill.”

“Sif, contact the others, we need Jake over here, he may know what is wrong with her.”

Sif signaled the other longboats and they came to a stop. Sif pulled her longboat up next to the one carrying Jake. “Jake, something is wrong with Tamara.”

Jake climbed over into the longboat to where Tamara lay beside Steve on a bench. “What happened, she was fine earlier.”

“She said something bit her when she showed me the creature, I recognized it as a wood crawler, but they are harmless. Look at her left arm.”

Jake pulled her sleeve up and saw the rash spreading up her arm and that her face was slightly swollen as well.

“It wasn't that bad a few minutes ago, what is wrong with her?”

“It looks like an allergic reaction, what do these things look like?”

Loki conjured up an image of an insect vaguely resembling a scorpion.

“Bruce, toss my bag over here. That thing looks similar to scorpions back home and they all carry venom but most are harmless to humans.” It only took a minute's wait before Thor was handing his bag to Jake. Jake dug through it finally coming up with a small container. He opened the container and pulled out a small tube; opening the tube, he pulled out a cylinder. He reached over and pressed the cylinder against Tamara's thigh, pushing the top to inject her with the contents. He pulled out another of the cylinders and sat down to wait. “We can go on now, I don't know yet if she'll need another injection so I'll stay here.”

Steve propped Tamara up against his side to make room for Jake on the bench. Sif pulled her cloak off and laid it over Tamara while Thor guided the longboat towards the elf cat village. By the time they reached the glade, Tamara's face was no longer swollen and she was sleeping, although it was a restless sleep. Several times she shifted and almost fell off the bench but Steve and Jake prevented her from falling.

When they arrived at the village, Steve stayed in the longboat with Tamara who continued to sleep. Thor spoke to one of the elves as the others helped the rescued elves climb out of the longboats. The wounded elves were handed out to one of the Asgardians who carried them over to where the other elves waited. Once all the elves were back with their people, Thor turned to go back to the longboat but was stopped by one of the elves. It spoke to him for a minute, then motioned to another elf to bring Thor his cloak and a wrapped bundle. Thor stowed both his cloak and the bundle in the longboat and climbed back in so they could return to Asgard. It was late in the evening when they returned to the palace but Tamara still slept. Sif led the warriors to report back to Odin while Thor picked Tamara up carefully and carried her back to her room. Loki grabbed Thor's cloak and the bundle and he and the Avengers went back to the quarters assigned to them.

Jake followed Thor back to Tamara's room while the others went to get cleaned up. After they got cleaned and changed into fresh clothing, they all gathered in Tamara's room for supper. Tamara was finally awake but Jake was reluctant to allow her up and about much. Instead, he explained to her that the crawler bite had caused an allergic reaction and gave her one of the epi-pens and explained how to use it. He also told her it was possible that she would have no problems back on Earth, that her reaction could be just because it was an alien species.

When Thor joined them for supper, he informed them that Odin had contacted Director Fury and let him know that the team would be returning the next morning. Director Fury had not been happy but Odin had decided that they needed a good night's rest before returning home, especially since Tamara had been injured. The team shared a quiet meal, then went back to their own rooms for a good night's rest. When morning rolled around, they were all well-rested and eager to return home. Asgard was a lovely place but they missed many of the comforts of home, including JARVIS and the bots.

Before going home via the Bifrost, Thor informed them that his parents invited them to break fast in the royal wing. The team packed their gear, then followed Thor to the royal wing for breakfast. When they arrived, they found themselves again in the small hall with only Sif and the Warriors Three for the company. They enjoyed a quiet meal, talking about the events of the day before and answering questions about their fighting techniques from Odin. Odin also filled them in on the Titans and his belief that it was a Titan who had controlled Loki.

After everyone was through eating, Frigga signaled for a servant who brought a small box to them and set it on the table in front of Odin. Odin opened the small box and pulled out something, then looked at the gathered Avengers. “I enjoyed watching you demonstrate your skills yesterday and I would thank you for your help rescuing the cat elves. I wish to give you all a small gift that I hope will help you protect your world.” Odin pulled out a bunch of thin silver rings and laid them on the table. “These rings have been spelled with All-speak, it will allow you to understand any language spoken in your world, or this if you should return. Also, while wearing these rings, your speech would be understood by others, if you consciously desire it to be understood. An invisibility enchantment is also woven into them so that when you are wearing the ring, it will not be seen by anyone not wearing a ring. Once you wear the ring the first time, it will work for no other person.”

Odin handed the rings to Thor who gave one to each of his friends who pocketed them but Jake declined the ring. “I have no need of it, Thor, give it to your lady friend, if Odin will allow it.”

Odin nodded and Thor placed the extra ring into his pocket. Odin motioned to Tamara to come forward. “The cat elves sent a gift for you, in thanks for saving the cubs.” Odin motioned to Sif where she was in the corner with Toi. “Sif, is the cat ready?”

“Yes my lord.”

“Then let Tamara see the gift the elves have bestowed upon them.”

Sif stepped aside and to everyone's surprise, it was not Toi that stepped forward. Instead, it was the large gray cat and it was wearing a harness of sorts that acted as armor for vulnerable areas of the body. The cat stepped forward and nudged Tamara. _'Sister, do you not know me?'_

_'Toi, is that really you?'_

_'It is the gift of the mountain cat, I can become this size through an enchantment now part of me. It is to better protect you, I know many new tricks for fighting as well.'_

“It really is Toi, but what happened, how did she get so big?”

Tamara looked to Odin for answers but it was instead Eir who answered; Tamara had been so occupied with Toi, she never saw her enter the hall. “The mountain cats have sometimes been allies in battle. When they are, we call them war cats. The one who came to us was such a cat but he grew old and wished to pass his knowledge to another. They chose either another mountain cat or one of the smaller snow cats to receive this knowledge. With the knowledge also comes the gift of faster healing and enhanced senses and abilities. But because Toi was affected by the bonding to you, your mutation caused a mutation in her, this is what allows her to change size. She wears the armor of a war cat and you will find her helpful in battle. Plus, the armor will make it known that she is not a wild animal on Midgard. In this form, she will need a name so that others will not know her in her mortal form.”

“So we'll be the only ones who know where she is when she's not in this form? OK then, I'll call her Shadow in this form, her coloring reminds me of shadows.”

Odin had one more request for the Avengers, “Loki has been freed of the power that held him captive. He wishes to return to Midgard with you. I would ask that you protect him, as you protect each other; he asks for a second chance. I believe your realm may be in danger of a future attack from the Titan. If this happens, you will need a powerful magic user as an ally; Loki could be that ally.”

Loki waited quietly beside Odin and Frigga for an answer. Tamara didn't give anyone else a chance to say anything, she stepped forward and took his hand. “I will protect Loki as heart-brother, the same as I do for Thor and the other Avengers.” Seeing that Tamara was determined, the other Avengers agreed to help Loki and protect him as well.

Sif quickly showed Tamara and the others how the armor was fastened onto Toi, then the Avengers returned to the Bifrost chamber to return to Midgard. Tamara saw Heimdall watching them as they stepped towards the opening of the bridge. Before placing his sword into the stand to activate the bridge, Heimdall approached Thor and handed him something. Thor knelt beside Toi and fastened a thin decorative chain, much like a leash, to a clasp on the armor, then looped the other end around his wrist. When he stepped forward to enter the Bifrost, Toi followed him. Then, like everyone else, she vanished in a rainbow light.


	8. Chapter 8

When the team returned to Midgard, they found a team from SHIELD waiting for them, guarding the Bifrost site. When the SHIELD team saw Loki, they quickly brought their weapons to bear on him. Tamara stepped in front of him and Thor and the others surrounded him as well so it would be impossible for the SHIELD agents to take a shot without the risk of hitting one of the Avengers.

“Agent Hill, we have a problem here at the Bifrost site.”

“Report”

“Loki is back and the Avengers are shielding him from us, we do not have a clear shot.”

“Do not let them leave the site, I'll notify the Director.”

Seeing that they would not be allowed to leave, Tamara decided that they all needed to be more comfortable in the hot desert sun. “Loki, can you make a tent of some sort, just to provide shade for all of us?”

“It can be done, perhaps a large pavilion with pillows so that we may be comfortable while we wait?”

Loki focused his magic but Tamara made sure the SHIELD agents could not see that he was working magic. In less than a minute, a large open-sided pavilion was covering the Bifrost site and a thick carpet was under their feet. There were several low chairs and pillows scattered around, along with a couple of tables. Thor stepped over to a table and took a pitcher, then poured water into a bowl which he sat down for Toi.

“Brother, can you maintain a shield for us while we wait, I do not believe it will take long for transport to arrive.”

Loki didn't say anything but almost instantly a glowing green shield appeared around a good portion of the pavilion but leaving a perimeter unshielded. Loki took a seat and after a minute, Tamara did as well. One by one the Avengers and company also took seats and got comfortable. As the sun rose, the temperature outside increased and everyone could see that the agents were uncomfortable in the hot sun.

It was Steve who decided to take pity on the SHIELD agents. “There's room under the pavilion for all of you, no need to stay out in the sun. You have our word we aren't going anywhere.”

One by one the agents moved to take positions under the pavilion. They were clearly uncomfortable to see Loki relaxing with the Avengers so it was a relief for all of them when an SUV pulled up, along with a troop transport. Toi was still in her war cat form and the agents were giving her a wide berth. Agent Hill stepped out of the SUV and approached the pavilion.

“I'm here to escort Loki back to base and a holding cell. The rest of you are free to go, for now.”

“No, Loki is under my protection and if you try to harm him, you'll have to go through me first.”

“Kid, you're nice enough but Loki is dangerous. I have orders to bring him back to base, under guard.”

“Tamara, it will be fine, trust me.”

“It's not you I don't trust Loki, it's them. They don't know why you're back or what happened to you and until they do, I'm not leaving you alone with them. Shadow and I will remain with Loki, the rest of you talk to the Director.”

“Actually, the Director requests all of you stop by medical to be cleared before leaving the base.”

Steve stepped forward, “Then Loki can come to medical with the rest of us. We gave Odin our word that he is under our protection. Either he comes with us or we go with him, that's your only options.”

“Fine, Captain, if you'll all move to the transport, we can get headed back to base.”

Loki removed everything he had created with magic, then moved to follow Steve to the transport. Just before they reached the transport, the Bifrost activated again and this time Sif and the Warriors Three crossed.

“Thor, Odin has sent us to act as guards for Loki; he bids you and your friends speak with this Director Fury. We shall not leave him unguarded and if need be, Heimdall will provide a way home for Loki.” Sif and the Warriors Three went to join Loki where he waited beside the transport truck. Tony, Pepper, and Steve were already in the back of the truck but everyone else had waited outside. Loki climbed into the back and then the rest of the Avengers and Asgardians also climbed into the back. The last one to enter the back of the truck was Tamara and Shadow followed her, curling up at her feet. Tamara absently stroked her ears, causing her to starting purr loudly and startling the guard who started to climb in with them.

It was a short trip back to the base in the truck. When they arrived, the Avengers and Pepper went to medical to get cleared while Loki was escorted to a holding cell. Sif and the Warriors Three stayed with him but before they left, Tamara removed the thin chain attached to the armor. “Shadow, guard him, no one but us approaches him.” The huge cat padded after Loki and the Asgardians.

It seemed to take forever in medical before everyone was cleared. Only Jake was spared a medical check, mostly because no one knew he had ever been present. Tamara knew he had a way of seeming to vanish when he didn't want to be seen. She also knew that only the Avengers knew Jake had gone with them to Asgard, even Happy didn't know since Jake had told everyone he was going back to Miami for a few days.

The only problem they had in medical was when Tamara's medical tests didn't match the records in SHIELD files. Tony and Bruce both pointed out that she had been changed when she was taken to Asgard after the attack in Central Park. It took several minutes to convince the doctors to send the test results to Beast at Xavier Institute and he confirmed they matched her new baseline, so she was finally released. When Thor was released, he had gone to join Loki while the others stayed with Tamara, not trusting SHIELD not to try to use Tamara in some way. When she was finally released, her first stop was to visit Loki, where she found him comfortable with Volstagg guarding the door.

Director Fury came to find them when the team failed to follow orders and report to a conference room for debriefing. He had not seen Shadow yet and he made the mistake of trying to get aggressive with Loki. Shadow stepped between them and bristled, making herself seem even larger and Director Fury pulled his gun, ready to shoot if she attacked.

“Call your cat down Loki or I'll shoot it.”

“The cat does not belong to me, it belongs to one who knows the value of honoring an oath. And you can ask your guards how well it works trying to shoot her.”

Tamara stepped up and placed a hand on Shadow, calming the cat and staring the director down at the same time. “The cat is with me and she belongs to no one but chose me as her partner, although she will respond to any of the Avengers. She is a gift from Asgard to help defend this realm and Loki. As for Loki, he was no more responsible for his actions that Clint was. Loki was held captive by a stronger entity for a long time, until they broke him and forced him to cooperate, you can't even imagine the torture he survived or what finally broke him. All that matters is Asgardian healers have confirmed he is free of that influence and all of us swore an oath to Odin to protect him whenever he is here and he swore to help protect this planet.”

“What proof do we have of this, how can you be sure he's not faking or something?”

Thor was outraged “You doubt the word of Odin? Loki is only still here in this cell because he chooses to be. The magic he used before was nothing compared to what I have seen him do; if he chooses not to be a prisoner, you cannot hold him.”

“Director, we're done here, you'll have to take the word of your staff that none of us have been tampered with. As for Loki, if you don't trust the word of the ruler of a realm you want to call your ally, then you don't deserve any of my respect. So which is it, do you trust the word of Odin or not? I can assure you, his healers know far more than we do, especially when it comes to magic. We are going back to the tower, Loki included. And you can tell the World Security Council something as well, the Avengers don't need their help to defend this planet. We care about one thing, protecting this planet from enemies, foreign and domestic, and that includes stunts like they pulled when the Chitauri attacked.”

Steve pushed past Director Fury and one by one, the others started to follow him, including Tasha and Clint. Tamara went to Loki and took his hand, leading him from the room with everyone else. “Loki, can you take us home, all of us?”

“No need for that Tamara, I had JARVIS send Happy out to get us, he's been waiting at a local hotel. Once we leave the base, he'll pick us up and take us to the airport for a ride home.”

The team quickly exited the building and headed for the fence around the base. A couple of agents tried to interfere but Loki simply made their guns turn into snakes, which they dropped quickly. Every time someone pointed a weapon at them, Loki changed it into something harmless and they were all starting to enjoy the looks of confusion on the agent's faces.

When Agent Hill stepped between them and the gate, she held her hands up to show she wasn't armed. “Are you seriously quitting SHIELD over him? Captain, what about the people he killed and the damage he caused?”

“Agent Hill, with all due respect, you have no idea what kind of torture Loki endured or how long it took for those creatures to break him. Odin asked us to swear to guard Loki and help him atone for the wrongs he committed while he was under the power of the Titan, and we all agreed. Loki has agreed to fight by our side when necessary, and it will be necessary. From what Odin told us, these Titans don't take defeat too well and it's only a matter of time before they come after humanity again. And as I recall, only some of us actually work for SHIELD, the rest are officially just consultants.”

“So now what, what happens to the Avengers without SHIELD?”

“Nothing, I never said we were quitting SHIELD, we're just going home. But we're all tired of SHIELD sending us out for jobs that they can easily handle, just to get publicity. Tony has been doing most of the funding for us along with weapons that are far better than SHIELD can create. We've had contact with other groups and we agree to work together whenever we need to. But we'll also be monitoring things around the world and we won't always wait for SHIELD to contact us. Now, we have a plane to catch, if you don't mind. When Director Fury is ready to listen to us, he knows where we'll be.”

Agent Hill stepped aside and watched as the Avengers left the base, along with Loki and the other Asgardians. As promised, Happy was waiting right outside with an SUV. The Avengers all crowded into the vehicle while the Asgardians returned to the Bifrost. Happy took the team to the airport where a private jet was waiting and they were soon headed home.


	9. Chapter 9

Everyone was quiet on the plane ride home and it was a relief to finally return to the tower where they were greeted by JARVIS and the bots. Loki was given a room on Thor's floor and he made himself comfortable before joining the others in the media room.

“Tamara, if you would like to contact this man you think may be related I can cast a spell to find out for you. I would like to find the other two who are related to you.”

“Sure, I already called Marie and she and Remy are headed over. They're staying for supper so I need to get busy cooking.”

Tamara made her way to the kitchen and after a few minutes of quiet Loki joined her. He watched as she cooked and they discussed magic, mainly focusing on healing. Tamara was just finishing up when a young woman that Loki didn't know entered the kitchen and tickled Tamara from behind. Tamara turned around glaring but it changed to a smile when she saw who had tickled her.

“I should have known. Marie, this is Loki, he's Thor's brother and the God of Mischief. Loki, this is Marie, also known as Rogue, she's a member of the X-Men and word of warning, don't touch her bare skin, it's dangerous.”

Loki simply nodded at Marie, he had noticed that most of her skin was covered but he was confused when Tamara gave Marie a kiss on the cheek. Seeing his confused expression, Tamara decided to explain. “We don't know why but I can touch her bare skin without it harming me, although she will gain my memories. Marie, can you get everyone in here, we can talk after we eat.”

Marie left the room and in a few minutes, the others began to enter the room, taking places at the huge table. When she returned, Marie was accompanied by a young man with reddish brown hair and glowing red eyes. Loki studied the young man and wondered if he was related to Tamara. “Loki, this is Remy LeBeau, also known as Gambit, he's the one I was telling you about. Remy, Loki is Thor's brother and he's gonna cast a spell later to find the other two who are related to me. Oh and before you ask, yes we found out Tony is related to me, even though the connection is from several hundred years ago.”

Everyone enjoyed the dinner that Tamara had cooked and helped clean up afterward. Once they were done, Loki went to his room while everyone else went to the media room. When Loki joined them, he cast a spell, causing a glow to settle over Tamara for a few seconds, then it split into three glowing spheres. As he expected, one sphere floated in front of Tony while a second ended up floating in front of Remy. The third did nothing at first and this concerned Loki.

“The spell confirms that you are both related to Tamara. The other person must be too far away for my spell to reach them. I can try again but it will be a few days before I can cast the spell again, it is rather difficult to locate someone in that manner.”

“No problem, I think Tamara is happy with the results so far. But for now, I think it's time we get some sleep. Marie, you and Remy are welcome to stay the night.”

“Thanks sugah but we promised the prof we'd head back after we saw Tamara. Oh and Tamara, we saw Spider-man yesterday when we ran into some mutant trouble on the streets.” She tossed a small object at Tamara who caught it easily. “He gave me that and said to tell you that Red says if you think you know where to find him, bring that to him any day. You know how to reach us if you need us.”

With that Remy and Marie left the tower to return to the Xavier Institute. Tamara shoved the small object in her pocket without looking at it, not willing yet to share this trust with anyone, not without permission. When she left the room to go out onto the deck, Loki followed her.

“Tamara, I am curious, you said Marie was a member of the X-Men but I do not know that term.”

“Oh yeah, sorry, I'm just used to most people knowing about them. Well, the X-men are sorta superheroes like us, only they're all mutants. They're also more public about who they are, for some it's because it would be hard to hide their mutation. Like Remy, he can't hide the fact that his eyes glow unless he wears sunglasses. Lots of other mutants can't hide their mutation either. But then you have mutants like my family, our mutations weren't visible so we could hide them most of the time.”

“Tell me about your family if you don't mind. I really know nothing about you but I would like to know more, I want to know about the people that helped shape who you are.”

Tamara took a deep breath and looked at the stars for so long that she began to shiver in the cold October air. Loki conjured a cloak and started to leave her, thinking she was upset with him for asking. “Loki, if you really want to know, we'll talk, but not tonight, it's hard to talk about them, right now I just need some time alone.”

Loki turned to go inside, then stopped and looked back at Tamara. “We are much alike I think, and I am glad you consider me part of your new family. I also wanted to make you an offer, I brought some books on healing spells with me, I would like to see if you can learn this magic.” Loki didn't wait for a response, he simply turned and went back inside, to his room and bed.

Tamara stayed outside in the chill October air until finally, Tony came looking for her. “Hey kiddo, why don't you come back inside where it's warm.”

Tamara turned to face Tony and he saw the tears in her eyes. “I'm sorry, it's just, I miss them all so much. Sometimes I'll catch a whiff my dad's aftershave even though I know there's no one around. Or I'll think I hear my mom singing with my grandma. Loki asked me to tell him about my family and he offered to see if I could learn the type of magic he does but I don't know if that's a good idea.”

“I don't know what advice to give you there but it's up to you what you tell him about your past. But from Jake told us about your family, they really cared for you. Maybe if you talk about them, it'll make it a little easier to get through these changes. Any idea what you're going to do tomorrow, I know you plan to take Loki out into the city.”

“Yeah, I thought about taking him with me to visit a few shelters, see if I can find you some new employees.”

Tony smiled, “You find the people and I'll find them a job and a place to stay. Now, come inside and get some sleep.”

Tamara let Tony shoo her back inside and soon she was curled up in her room, sleeping soundly. When morning came, Tamara was up early to join Steve for a run as the sun rose. When they returned to the tower, they went to the gym and sparred for a bit before going back to their rooms to shower. They found everyone in the kitchen having breakfast except Loki. When Tamara went looking for him, he was still in his room, although he seemed to just be sitting and waiting. Tamara chased him out to join the others for breakfast so they could take Loki out later that day.

When they finished breakfast, Tamara escorted Loki out shopping so he would have normal clothing, while Happy drove the limo. After spending a couple of hours shopping, Loki was getting restless so Tamara decided it was time to show him around town, her way. She had Happy drive to the first homeless shelter and he found a place to park while Tamara led Loki inside. Once they were inside, she found the man in charge and they got right to work. Tamara visited shelters all over town that day, collecting information in the current residents and getting lists from the shelters about what supplies they needed for the shelter or residents. She had information on several men and women who had skills she knew would be useful either at SI or at other places she knew. She set up times to interview each of these people later in the week while the shelter staff would make sure they were available.

After she was done, Happy took them back to the tower for the day. Tamara started organizing her notes from the information she had gotten from each shelter and made arrangements to have supplies ordered. She also threw in orders for clothing for job interviews and a few toys for the kids currently staying at the shelters. Once she had everything organized, she began to sort through the information on the people she had met. She had found several people that might do well with entry-level jobs that were open at SI so she set those aside to show to Tony later. The others that she felt were seriously interested in getting their lives back on track, she began to search for jobs that might suit them elsewhere. By the time supper was ready, she had gone through everything and was more than ready to end the day. Loki had watched as she sorted papers and ordered supplies, asking questions when he did not understand something.

Tamara went to the lab to drag Tony up for supper and to give him the info on the people she felt might fit in at SI. Tony took the flash drive and plugged it in, then left JARVIS doing background searches to make sure nothing dangerous turned up. Steve had cooked that night and Loki was hesitant to eat with everyone else until he realized that the team had no reason to harm him, so he cautiously began to eat. After supper, Tamara began to clean up and Loki stayed to help her, still uncomfortable around the rest of the team.

Once everything was cleaned up, Tamara turned to Loki. “Were you serious about seeing if I could use magic?”

“I was, but I would need to study how you heal first, that would tell me what type of magic it is.”

“Very well, but you should talk to Jake as well, he has his own type of magic. I'm not sure if he'll talk to you, but it's worth a try.”

“I will keep that in mind, but I will wait until I have earned his trust before asking. What will you do tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow Thor and I are going out to visit some children. You're welcome to come as well, you'll find children are more forgiving of mistakes than adults. Tonight, more practice, you wanna watch? Thor offered to spar with me so it's dodge practice.”

“I would enjoy watching, but what do you mean by dodge practice?”

As they made their way down to the gym, Tamara explained. “It was agreed I can be on the team but my primary focus is as medic, not as a fighter. Every member of the team is a better fighter than me, although I can hold my own against regular people. So at least one day a week, someone spends a session where all I do is try to dodge their attacks. I've had to go into battles before, but my goal is always to get to whoever is injured and heal them enough to continue, then get out to a safe spot.”

“It sounds interesting.”

“It is and soon I'll be dodging more than one of them. The problem is, I know how they move and what they are capable of doing. It's different out in a real battle, the bad guys are totally unpredictable. Some day I want to give it a go against you, just to see if I can stay loose against magic, we don't have too many magic users here that I am aware of.”

“The real challenge with a magic user is to see through the spells or illusions, there will always be a hint as to what is real and what is not. Even if you cannot learn magic, perhaps you can learn to detect it, as Thor does.”

“I would appreciate that, but for now, I have work to do. Tony had an area built that stands up to pretty much anything the team has thrown against the walls but you'll need to stay outside.” Tamara indicated a small room that led into another room that Loki could only see a small part of through the glass. He followed Tamara in and watched as she continued on into the larger room where Thor waited with something in his hand. He handed it to Tamara and when she pulled it over her head, Loki saw it was a hood of sorts.

Thor walked towards one wall and pushed a button and various obstacles moved into position. However, Thor did not move to attack Tamara; instead, Loki saw Clint move out of the shadows towards her. He was even more confused when he saw Steve slip into another corner and then Natasha into another spot. However, when he was joined by Dr. Banner he moved as far to the side of the small room as he could. Bruce didn't say anything to Loki, he just watched as finally, Tony had entered the room as well.

Bruce pushed a button and that must have been some kind of signal because Clint attacked her from behind. He took Tamara by surprise and managed to get her on the ground but she soon broke loose and moved away from him. Clint didn't pursue her; however, she had now moved closer to Tony. He went after her as well but in a different manner from how Clint had attacked. Tamara easily eluded him but she was driven towards Tasha now who attacked, again in a different manner than usual. Tasha drove her towards Steve who went after her kicking and punching and it did not look to Loki like he was pulling his punches either. Steve drove her towards Thor who finally attacked and so they kept driving her between them, forcing her to react to various styles of attack. Tamara had started fighting back as she was attacked and Loki could see small streaks of blood where both Tasha and Clint had grazed her with a knife. He knew they were just scratches but now he understood just how far this team was willing to go to be ready to defend the planet. Tamara had been driven back towards Tony but now Thor went after her at the same time as Tony so Tamara was forced to fight both.

Thor and Tony had her cornered and she was fighting back, trying to get free of them when something went wrong. Loki saw Tony stumble slightly and Tamara's arm came down hard on his right arm and drove him to the ground. Loki saw the glow that sprang from her bracelets as Tamara stopped and ripped the hood off. Tony was on the floor, cradling his right arm as Tamara dropped to her knees beside him. Loki could see the guilt on her face but right now he was more interested in her healing. He followed Bruce through the door and they were the first to reach the three.

Tamara had closed her eyes and was lightly running one hand over Tony's arm until she stopped, then let her hand wrap around his lower arm. Loki saw the bracelet begin to glow brighter but he concentrated on watching Tamara, realizing that she was humming very softly. He allowed his vision to adjust so he could see the magic and he was both surprised and disappointed by what he saw. He did not think Tamara would be able to learn the healing spells from the book he had brought; not as they were, but maybe he could adapt them to work with the magic he saw in her. When the light faded, Tamara got to her feet and quickly left the room and no one bothered to go after her.

Loki started to follow her but Thor stopped him, “Leave her, she feels guilty she injured Tony, she will return when she has calmed.” Loki quickly put a trace spell on Tamara and waited as Thor pulled Tony to his feet, making sure not to touch his arm that Tamara had healed. Everyone left the gym and returned to their rooms to shower and change. Loki selected the book of healing spells and conjured a blank book and quill, then made his way to Thor's room. He found the door open but Thor was nowhere in sight so Loki went looking for him and finally found him, in the kitchen.

“Brother, I have a question about Tamara.”

“I will answer it if I can but some things you must ask her.”

“It is a simple thing, have you ever heard Tamara make music?”

“I have, why do you ask?”

“Do you recall what she used to make the music?”

“I did not see, she was on the roof and I heard her playing. It sounded very sad and mournful and when it stopped, I could hear her crying. I thought she had gone there to grieve for her family so I left her in peace.”

Unnoticed by either of them, Steve had come into the kitchen for a drink as well and heard Loki's question. “She has a harmonica that belonged to her great-grandfather and a small set of pipes that she said has been in her family a very long time.”

“I noticed that when she healed Tony's arm, she was humming so I was curious. How is he?”

“Jake said she didn't break it, just put too much pressure on a nerve, but he won't even have a bruise.”

Tony came into to kitchen then followed by Pepper who was chewing him out for taking on Tamara bare-handed. When she saw Steve there as well, she went after him about them ganging up on Tamara the way they did. Steve listened quietly, never answering her back. Finally, it seemed she was done venting her frustration and she sat down at the table and accepted the cup of coffee that Tasha handed her.

“Does it not concern you that she took off when she thought she injured Tony?”

It was Tony who answered Loki's question. “Not anymore but it did at first. We've learned a lot about each other in the time we've been a team. We know what makes each other tick, what really upsets someone and what makes them happy. Each one of us knows what triggers nightmares for the others and what not to do if someone is having a nightmare. For example, when Tamara has a nightmare, she's quiet but we always know because she ends up in the common room or on the deck when the weather is warm enough. And she gets upset at the idea of injuring one of us, even in practice. She needs space to cool off and calm down but don't worry, JARVIS is tracking her and she most likely has company out there.”

“Who? You are all here and so is the cat, who do you trust to watch over her?”

“We're not the only heroes in this city Loki, most of the others focus on everyday crimes. If she's up high then she'll catch the attention of Spidey, he knows we're back. Look, you saw her in there, she can take care of herself against most of what the city can throw at her. And we trust her to let us know if she runs into something she can't handle.”

Tony and Pepper left the kitchen and soon everyone was gathered in the media room. “JARVIS, pick something from the list we made for Steve and Thor and make a list for Loki to catch him up on movies. Loki, we've been watching a bunch of stuff that you need to understand if you want to fit in modern culture. Just ask JARVIS anytime you're bored and he can direct you to one of the movies on the list. I'll have a TV brought to your room or you can use the one in here. If you think you'll be staying a while I'll set you up a suite like everyone else has, there are plenty of empty rooms on Thor's floor.”

“Thank you, it is most appreciated.”

Everyone sat down to enjoy the movie and Loki found it amusing to listen to the mortals discuss the film and how it related to modern culture.


	10. Chapter 10

The team was into the second movie already and Tamara still had not returned. Loki tried not to worry about her but he felt that other than Thor, she was the only one who truly believed him and he considered her a friend. He was debating trying to locate her when JARVIS interrupted the movie.

“Sir, something large just crossed the sensors for the estate and Tamara appears to be in pursuit.”

“Activate the cameras J, let's see what she's chasing.” The movie switched to infrared cameras and the team could see Tamara chasing something larger than her that was running on four feet and a smaller shape was just in front of it. “J, get the suit, give the team the location, I'll meet them there.”

Loki had quickly left the room when he saw that Tamara appeared outmatched by the two unknown creatures. Without waiting to see what the others would do, he prepared to teleport but as he did, he felt a weight join his. When he teleported close to Tamara, he found the additional weight was Toi. Loki made his way cautiously towards Tamara but Toi had left him behind.

Loki heard Tony arrive and assumed he was using his computer to track Tamara. He didn't hear any sounds like fighting so he moved cautiously towards where he thought Tamara was located. When he made his way into the open, he found Tamara and Toi facing down what appeared to be a small bear but it was obviously wounded. Tony had landed and was watching Tamara as she was trying to get closer to the bear which was growling at her if she came too close. Loki wondered why he didn't just shoot the poor creature but before he could ask, he heard the others arriving. A large bloody wild cat was on the ground near the bear struggling to rise and it looked as though the bear was protecting it.

“Everyone stays back, Loki can you restrain both these creatures?”

“I can but why?”

“Just do it please, Tamara doesn't want them destroyed.”

Loki cast a simple sleep spell and watched as first the cat succumbed and then the bear slowly fell under the power of the spell as well. Once both were safely asleep, Tony walked carefully up to Tamara.

“OK, they're not dead, now what, we taking them to a zoo or something?”

“Or something, I need to contact someone, got a phone handy? But first, can you get JARVIS to guide someone back along my trail? Spider-man may be hurt but I had to keep these two in sight.”

Tamara took the phone Tony handed her and quickly sent a text message off while Clint and Tasha went with Steve to find Spider-man and make sure he wasn't injured. Toi was licking at several places on the cat that appeared to be bullet wounds but everyone else kept their distance from the wounded animals. “Loki, can you teleport us to the gym? Jake will meet us there with sedatives and bandages. Tony, hopefully we'll have company in a little while.”

When Tony nodded his assent, Loki teleported them all to the gym. Jake joined them in a couple of minutes and seemed only mildly surprised to see Tamara with two large wounded animals. However, he quickly gave each of them a mild sedative and began to tend to the injuries, beginning with the cat. Tony left to remove the suit while Tamara helped Jake with the wounded animals. After a moment's hesitation, Loki went over to see if he could be of any help.

Several minutes later, Steve and the others returned to the tower and requested that Jake join them in the infirmary. Jake was in the middle of stitching a large cut on the injured cat so Tamara went to the infirmary instead. When she arrived, she found Steve and Clint trying to talk Spider-man into letting them help him but she didn't see Tasha at first. Tamara could see several wounds that were still bleeding and it made her wonder briefly why he was even still standing. A noise behind the three men caught her attention and she saw that Tasha was busy setting up a suture tray.

Clint saw her first when she entered the room and he stepped back, letting Tamara take his place. “Calm down Spidey, you can't go home like that. Just let me help you and then we'll see to it you get a ride home. You remember the first time we actually met?”

Spider-man nodded his head but didn't say a word.

“Well, I can do that for other people too. I promise, no one will remove your mask but I need you to trust me and I will need a hand in here, OK?”

Spider-man nodded again and followed Tamara over to a bed. He sat down slowly, trying not to jar his left leg which had four deep gashes running down the thigh. He had a shallower set running across his forearm, as though he had used his arm to protect his face from the bear. Clint, Tasha and Steve left the room but Steve returned with a pair of shorts and a t-shirt after a couple of minutes. He laid them down on the bed beside Spider-man while Tamara was busy cleaning blood off of Spider-man's leg. After several minutes, she was able to see the gashes better but the material of his suit kept getting in her way.

“Look, your suit is in the way; let Steve help you get it off, I'll leave the room if you prefer.” When she didn't get an answer, Tamara just turned around but she could hear noises as Spider-man struggled to remove the suit and put on the shorts. When Tamara turned back around, he was still wearing his mask but he hadn't bothered to put the t-shirt on yet. As she began to probe the gashes to see how deep they went, Tamara decided it was a good time to chat with Spider-man.

“So I got the message from Red, and I'm pretty sure I figured out who he is. What I'm wondering is if you know who he is?”

Spider-man shook his head 'no'.

“Well, then I won't say who I think he is. Do you remember a few days ago, right before we left? I was serious then, I know who you are but I won't say a word to anyone. But you need to consider how you're gonna explain these injuries to the person you live with.” Tamara could feel Spider-man tense up at those words and she knew it was something he hadn't thought about yet. “You gotta trust somebody, sometime, why not us or at least Jake and I?”

Spider-man was quiet as Tamara continued to clean the wounds but when she picked up a needle, he tensed. “It's just a tetanus shot, no telling what kind of germs were on those claws. I'm also going to numb it so I can stitch it up. Did you see them change? I saw the bear change but not the cat.”

This had the desired effect of getting Spider-man to talk. “Yeah, I saw them both change, I don't think he meant to hurt me. The bear was just trying to protect the cat, that poor girl.”

“Wait, what are you talking about, what girl?”

“Steve, those aren't normal animals, they're mutants or shape-shifters or something. The cat was already changed when I got there but I saw it being attacked by several young men. Some teen boy came up behind them and tried to stop them but he got knocked around. I saw him go down but then he changed into the bear and attacked the guys. What set them all off?”

“That cat is a girl, young teen I'd guess. She was being harassed by the guys and when she tried to get away, one of them hit her before I could interfere. She changed into that cat and tried to fight back but I saw one of them pull out a gun and shoot her. Then the bear was there and when I tried to get to the cat to get it out of there, the bear got me. Guess he didn't realize I was trying to help them.”

“Loki put them under a sleep spell and once we got them back here, I had Jake sedate them. We need to find out where they came from, they can't go back injured.”

“What are you gonna do with them?”

“I want to send them out of the city, hopefully, some friends of mine will get here soon. If nothing else, we'll find them a safe place to live. Steve can you go see if Jake is done, I want both of them someplace more comfortable if we can manage.”

Steve got the feeling the request was a reason to be alone with Spider-man, so even though JARVIS could have easily given her the information, he went to check himself. Once he had left the room, Tamara gave him time to get out of hearing distance and turned back to Spider-man.

“Look Peter, I won't tell anyone who you are, but I have figured out exactly who you are. Your mistake was in getting too close to me both as Spider-man and Peter Parker. If you trust the others, then we can help you more. Tony loves to build stuff and I'm sure he'd create all kinds of gadgets for you, just like he does the rest of us. We can also help you improve your suit, all our suits stand up to knives and most bullets so I don't think bear claws would be an issue either.”

Spider-man was quiet, but after a minute, he slowly reached up and removed his hood, revealing himself as a young man not much older than Tamara. Once the hood was off, Tamara could see a bruise on the side of his head so she gently cleaned it, feeling bad when he winced. She turned her attention back to his leg and was glad to see the numbing had taken effect. She began to place the stitches, beginning with a few dis-solvable ones deep in the muscles to help hold them together. She was almost done with the second of the wounds when she heard someone else coming down the hall. “Peter, we're about to have company, in case you want to put your mask back on.”

He looked down at the mask he still held in his hand, then dropped it with the remains of his suit. “Like you said, I gotta trust people some time.”

When Jake entered the room, he never said a word, just went straight to work stitching Peter's leg, while Tamara began to stitch his arm. Once all the stitches were in, he wrapped both the leg and arm to prevent infection. He watched as Tamara handed the young man a shirt, which he pulled over his head; then grabbing the remains of his suit, he bundled it up and shoved it under his arm. Jake brought out a pair of crutches and handed them to Peter, then they both followed Tamara to the elevator. She stopped the elevator on her floor, then showed Peter to a room and advised him to take a nap while they dealt with the other injured guests.

Tamara and Jake made their way back down to the gym where both the cat and the bear continued to sleep. Steve had apparently told the others about them being mutants because everyone was more relaxed. Tamara told the others that Spider-man was currently resting in one of the empty rooms on her floor. When she suggested moving the bear and cat to her floor, everyone was against the idea.

“No, you don't know if they're dangerous or if they can control these changes. They need to be in a controlled environment.”

“Well it can't be comfortable for them on the gym floor, even with the mats. And the only other place that's this secure is the tank. Loki, can you teleport them to the very last empty room on my floor, it has some fairly thick carpet.”

“I can do better than that, I will teleport them both there but I will make it more comfortable first.”

Loki blinked out and was gone for a couple of minutes as Tamara continued to argue with the others. When he returned, he simply grabbed the two with his magic and teleported them; along with Tamara; to the room she had indicated. By the time the rest of the team arrived, Loki had erected a shield around the room to keep the two guests inside. Toi passed freely through the shield and stretched out where she could watch both of them.

Tamara was tired after having used healing on Tony and then going out around town, ending in the chase of these two and returning them to the tower. She stopped to check on Peter and found him sleeping, so she used a little of her healing power to speed up the process for the injuries on his leg. She made her way to her room and was settling down for a nap on the couch when there was a knock on the door. When she opened her door, she wasn't surprised to see Tony, a small bowl of fruit in his hands.

“Tony, what's up?”

“Just wanted to make sure you got a bite to eat. You took off so fast earlier, and now all this. So how's Spider-man, Clint said it looked like the bear tried to tear him up.”

“Stitches in both his arm and leg, the leg is kinda deep so I used a little healing on him. But please, don't go looking for him, I think he's willing to trust us but let him come to us. Jake and I have seen him unmasked but the safety of his family depends on nobody knowing who he is. Let him decide if he's ready to trust everyone or not. I asked JARVIS to let him know where I am when he wakes up and to offer to guide him to the rest of you.”

“OK, so if we see a strange guy hobbling around your floor, it's Spider-man? JARVIS, make sure the others are notified. Now what are you planning to do about those two?” Tony pointed down the hall towards where the two mutants slept.

“I sent a message to Remy about them. I didn't have much detail then but I told him we had two injured mutants. He said Hank was out of the mansion but they'd get him back and send him down with someone to take them back to the institute. I don't know where Hank is but they'll probably get the team together, then go get Hank and come here in the jet so make sure the roof is clear. I felt Jean earlier so she has images of both of them and I made it clear one is most likely a young teen or even pre-teen. She'll make sure a couple of the kids are with them, it might help reassure both of them. How's your arm?”

“You didn't really hurt it much, Jake said you just pinched a nerve. I want to apologize for earlier, that was mostly my idea. I knew you planned to spar with Thor and it was my idea for all of us to go after you like that.”

“Don't worry about it, if I hadn't gotten upset and gone out tonight, I never would have found those two. They'd probably ended up dead and Spider-man would have ended up exposed or even dead himself. I think things worked out the way they were meant to happen.”

Tony left Tamara to sleep and went back to join the others. As the others went to bed later, he went down to his lab to work. While he was down there, he got to thinking about how the team could win Spider-man's trust and he knew a way he could help. “J, can you get measurements on Spider-man where he's resting?”

“I can Sir.”

“Good, measure him and let's see if we can fix him a better suit before he wakes up. If he has his suit in the room with him, then analyze it so we can see what he's working with currently.”

In a few moments, JARVIS had a basic hologram of Spider-man and designs for a new suit made of a much stronger material. Tony just shook his head when he saw that Spider-man's current suit was ordinary fabric, wondering how he had managed to go so long without serious injury. Tony made notes of possible improvements to the suit but simply had one fashioned that looked like the ruined suit, albeit it was now much safer as it was made of the same material as the team's suits.

As Tony was heading to bed, JARVIS alerted him that a jet was landing on the roof. He instructed JARVIS to wake Tamara but not the others as he went to meet the jet. He was expecting Hank and Remy but some of the others were unfamiliar to him. He didn't have much information to give them about the mutants so he simply took them down to Tamara's floor. He found Tamara waiting for them so he left her with Hank and Remy, then went on to bed.

Tamara took them to the end of the hall, to the room Loki had shielded. Both animals had reverted to human but only the boy was awake and he watched them warily as Tamara led the X-Men into the room. When Tamara tried to approach, the boy got between her and the girl and it seemed clear he was protecting her. He allowed Hank to approach and once he could tell that Remy and Kurt were mutants, he allowed them to approach as well. Jean was able to read his mind so she took Tamara aside and let her know that no one would be looking for either of them. They were twins and when he first manifested his shape shifting, their father had beaten him. This caused his sister to shift as well and they were driven out as monsters. As Hank picked the wounded girl up, the boy stayed close, one hand maintaining contact with his sister. Tamara watched as the X-Men left with the teens, glad that they would be safe and she hoped that the girl would survive.

She saw a box sitting outside the room where Peter still slept and she grew curious. Opening the box, she found a replacement for the spider suit, along with a note from Tony letting him know he didn't have to reveal who he was. She carried the box into the room and laid the suit out on a chair beside the bed. Peter was still sleeping so Tamara quietly put her hands over his leg and used a little more healing on him, focusing on mending the muscles more than the skin. When she could tell that the wounds were about half-healed, she stopped and left the room, never realizing that Peter wasn't sleeping the entire time.

Peter moved his leg gently, feeling the tightness in the muscles from the stitches. He couldn't understand why Tamara had bothered to heal him but he was grateful; the more healed he was, the less likely Aunt May would notice. He picked up the suit where Tamara had laid it, along with the note. He read the note, then realized that Tony had offered him a way to protect his secret. Reassured, he closed his eyes and drifted back off to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

It was early when JARVIS woke Tamara to let her know that her guest was awake and asking her whereabouts. Tamara dressed quickly, then grabbed extra clothes that she thought might fit Peter. She made her way down the hall, then knocked on the door before going in.

“Peter, I've got some clothes you can wear, we tend to keep odd things lying around.”

Peter stepped out of the bathroom and Tamara could see that he was wearing part of the suit Tony had the bots fashion the night before. “Toss 'em here please, I'll be ready in a minute.”

Tamara tossed the clothes to Peter and he went back into the bathroom, leaving it a few minutes later wearing them instead of the spider suit. He had a small bundle in his hands that Tamara figured must be the suit.

“So do you want me to sneak you out or what?”

“No, you were right. I need to trust somebody so I have help when I need it. You asked them to come looking for me last night, didn't you?”

“Yeah, I didn't know if you were hurt or how bad but I knew you couldn't risk going to a hospital.”

“Thanks, it could have been the end of Spider-man last night if I'd got caught.”

“So you want to join us for breakfast? It would give you a chance to meet everyone.”

“You sure I'm doing the right thing, I mean I gotta protect my aunt.”

“Peter, only years down the road will you know if this is the right choice. But keep in mind, all we want is to help you help other people. We are not a threat to you or those you care about and none of us would ever intentionally reveal your identity.”

“Why are you doing this? I mean, why help me? And you're the recent addition to the Avengers, aren't you?”

“Officially, I'm just a kid that people think is related to Pepper. In reality, yes, I'm part of the team but not as a fighter unless I have to be. Some people are scared to be around Bruce when he changes but he knows me and trusts me. So I managed to convince everyone to give me a shot as team medic. As to why I'm helping you, simple, I'm a healer. I can't stand to see anything sentient suffer, be it man or beast. You're not the only one I'm helping either, I should warn you that Loki is here and he is under the protection of the Avengers.”

“Loki? That madman, after what he did..How..”

“Just stop, you have no idea what he suffered and why he acted as he did. Don't judge him, because you have no idea of the pain he suffered, not even Thor knows exactly what was done to him but I have seen it. He only gave in because he was led to believe that his resistance would lead to Thor's death. Have you ever faced magic, been involved in magic workings?”

“No”

“Then you have no idea the power that can lie within magic but I do. Now, do you want to join us for breakfast or not?”

“You trust Loki?”

“I do”

“Then I guess I get to meet two gods instead of one.”

“JARVIS, ask Bruce to set an extra place, we will have company for breakfast.”

Tamara handed Peter the crutches and led the way from the room to the elevator. On the way, she indicated the levels that were private quarters, explaining that most of the team had their own floor, although Natasha and Clint shared a floor, as did Thor and Loki for now. They didn't go down as far as the gym or training levels but she did offer to show him later if he was interested. When the elevator reached the common floor, Tamara took the lead and Peter followed her cautiously into the kitchen. When Tamara entered the kitchen, everyone got quiet, curious about their as yet unidentified guest. Tamara stepped aside to reveal a man with light brown hair who didn't look to be much older than her.

“Well, this is awkward.”

“No it's not, they're just curious. Guys, this is Peter Parker and as you've probably guessed by now, he's Spider-man.”

“Hi”

After a few mumbled greetings, everyone went back to eating breakfast while Tamara made Peter sit. She fixed a plate and set it before him before fixing a plate for herself. Peter glanced at the amount of food she had piled on her plate and just shook his head, he saw no way someone as small as her could finish all that. Some time later, he was wondering where she managed to put it all as everyone was leaving the table.

As everyone finished eating it was Tony who broke the silence first. "Parker, you're with the Bugle, aren't you? Now we know how you managed to get some of the photos they've published. Guess swinging from a web can give a unique perspective on a fight. But you might want to be careful with that, someone might eventually connect the photos with Spider-man."

"I don't do it often. And I try to make sure the shots are possible from surrounding buildings. The hardest thing is setting up cameras to get shots of my moving through the city to help stop people from connecting the two. You should see how many photos I discard, but even Jameson hasn't caught on yet."

“Tamara, are you joining us in the gym?”

“Yeah Thor. Jake, you wanna check Peter's leg and then bring him to the gym?”

“No problem Tamara, I'll let you know if it needs more work.”

Peter was a bit reassured to be left with Jake but he wondered just what kind of training Tamara did with the team. Jake led Peter back down to the infirmary and checked over the stitches in his leg and had him go through a series of range of motion exercises. Once he was satisfied, he led Peter back to the gym to join the others.

Inside the gym, Steve and Tamara were in the ring sparring and Peter was a bit surprised when he saw that neither one appeared to be pulling punches. Tamara was knocked off her feet several times but she always got back up. A timer went off and the two of them left the ring, turning it over to Clint and Tasha. Steve and Tamara took a break before Steve went to the weights while Tamara came over to join Peter and Jake.

“Are you always like that?”

“Like what?”

“Neither of you were pulling punches and he hit you hard. I kinda thought maybe your own team would go easy on you or something. I mean aren't you supposed to just be the medic?”

“At one time they did, but that was before Loki got involved and I got a bit of Asgardian magic. I'm not a normal human anymore, even beyond the mutant side of me. Don't make the mistake of thinking I'm fragile or something, I can probably kick your ass easily but we'll wait until your leg is fully healed. And even though I'm supposed to avoid battles, sometimes I have to get involved. Besides, they worry something might happen to me outside team stuff so we all agreed I train with them.”

Peter was noticeably nervous when Loki came to join them. “Tamara, I was wondering, are you aware that you hum when you use your gift?”

“I hum? Nope, never noticed, why?”

“I may be able to help you access greater healing power without as much drain on yourself. I believe the humming is actually you using magic and not your own ability. If young Peter is willing, I would like to have you test this theory.”

“How?”

Tamara would not willing to risk harming anyone, even to test Loki's theory.

“Relax, it will not harm him. Either it works and heals him with less effort on your part or it fails to work at all. I can study the healing either way, whether it works or not, but I would like to help you find a way to use your power that does not drain you so much.”

“So what do I need to do?”

“The Captain mentioned you have a set of pipes that you play. I simply need you to try to heal while making music instead of using physical contact.”

“Sounds easy enough, you want me to get my pipes or what?”

“No need for that until I can see if you are using music as a spell. Perhaps you could try to heal the wounds on his arm. Do as you normally would, only do not touch him while you attempt to heal his wounds.”

Peter sat down on one of the benches and Tamara joined him. She had him stretch his arm out and she placed her hands over the wounds, but not touching the injury as she normally did. Closing her eyes, she began to concentrate, softly humming as she did so. When she felt that the wounds should show noticeably healing, she stopped and opened her eyes. To her disappointment, the wounds were not healed as much as she had hoped but she could tell that they were healed more than before. Tamara thought Loki looked thoughtful as he watched her but she simply allowed her hand to rest on the wounds on Peter's arm and she healed it as she normally would. Once she was done with his arm, she placed her hand over the wounds on his leg and focused on healing them, until they were not much more than severe scratches.

“Think you can explain that to your aunt?”

Peter nodded, “I can't thank you enough, Aunt May has no idea about any of this.”

“It's no problem, I told you last night we'd try to help you if we can.”

Peter didn't notice that Steve had come over and joined them. “She's right, you're welcome to use the gym and equipment. And if you give Tony a chance, he might surprise you. Speaking of Tony, you'll need to see him for access to the upper levels of the tower.”

“OK, where do I find him?”

“JARVIS, what's Tony's location?”

“He is currently in the workshop.”

“I'll take him down, I know the rest of you still have more training to do.” Jake led Peter from the gym as Steve returned to the ring to spar with Thor and Tamara went to the range for practice. When Jake and Peter reached the workshop, they found Tony and Bruce waiting for them. Jake left Peter with the two scientists to discuss access to the upper levels of the tower. Tony gave Peter limited access to the upper levels, restricting him to the main floor and training levels until the team could see how he handled himself. Once that was done, Bruce escorted Peter to the elevator that would take him to the ground floor so he could return home.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki's first real trip out of the tower after returning to Earth goes a bit strange.

After Tamara was through training, she returned to her room to shower and change. When she finished she returned to the common room where Thor was waiting for her with Loki.

“Thor says the two of you are going out for a few hours, may I accompany you?”

“Actually, I was hoping you'd come with us. We're going to a local group home to visit the children. It's something we do every other week and the children look forward to it.”

“You really want me to go? What do you do when you visit?”

“Well, Thor usually spends the time telling them stories of Asgard. Sometimes I read to them, or help them with puzzles, or we play games, really just anything to make them happy. These children are in a bad situation, most of them don't have families they can live with right now. If it's something Tony can help with, then I get whatever information I can for him and he does what he can to help. And the staff knows Thor is Asgardian so you can use your magic there.”

“If you are sure I am permitted...”

“Loki, with Thor and I both around, no one is gonna stop you. Don't worry about SHIELD and Director Fury, just come and help us with the kids.”

Loki nodded but didn't say anything else. When Steve joined them with a large box, he tried not to stare but he felt as though he was only being tolerated because Tamara wished it. The four took the elevator down to the garage where a SUV was waiting for them. Steve loaded the box into the back while everyone else found seats. Tamara was driving and Thor took a back seat and directed Loki to the other seat, leaving the front seat for Steve. As Steve started to climb in, a furry form jumped inside and settled itself in the back in Loki’s lap. It wasn't a long drive to the home but the silence inside the SUV was almost unbearable, until Loki spoke up.

“Are you coming as a guard, Captain Rogers?”

“Yes and no. I'm coming to make sure no one tries to do anything to harm you; I gave Odin my word that we would protect you, and that includes keeping SHIELD from imprisoning you. You don't strike me as the type of person who would harm children. But I'm also coming because of a couple of kids that enjoy art. And you can call me Steve, everyone else does.”

“I appreciate your honesty, Captain.”

They arrived at the home and everyone climbed out. Thor hurried up the steps where Loki could see a couple of children waiting. Steve took the box from the back and headed inside as well, going to a large room with several tables. There were a couple of children waiting for him, and as soon as he set the box down, they were eagerly pulling art supplies out and dividing them up.

Tamara headed off in a different direction but Loki could hear Thor's booming voice as he told stories to a bunch of children. Not knowing what else to do, and feeling the most comfortable with Tamara, Loki followed her. He found her in a small glass enclosed porch where several younger children were running around. Toi rushed past Loki into the room and began to play with the children. Loki saw Tamara speaking with an older woman who had a girl in her lap as she rocked. He joined them, unsure what Tamara intended to do with this group of children.

Tamara seated herself on a cushion and took out a harmonica and began to play softly. This must have been a normal occurrence for the children for they quickly settled down around her. The small child with the older woman began to cry just as the phone started ringing. The older woman handed the child to Tamara who tried to quiet her but she was unsuccessful. Loki grew frustrated and finally took the child from Tamara and began to walk with her, softly singing an old lullaby Frigga used to sing to him and Thor when they were small.

The small girl grew quiet, her head resting on his shoulder until he stopped singing. The little girl began to speak to him just as the old woman returned. Loki couldn't understand why she was asking for her mother and father. When the old woman asked him what she said, Loki realized the girl was there because no one could speak her language, which he recognized as an older Norse dialect.

“What is she saying, do you understand her?”

“Yes, the language is old but I know it well.”

“Can you find out her name and where her family is? She was found wandering the streets several days ago and the police don't have a missing person report matching her. We don't even know her name.”

Loki spoke with the small girl, then turned to the older woman. “Her name is Drífa Aldísdóttir. She can't tell me anything else except how she got here. She said she was playing outside and then everything got really bright, when the light went away, she was no longer anywhere she knew. She just wants to go home."

"What language was she speaking, that might help us find her family?"

"It is Norse but it is an old dialect. It must be an isolated area if they still speak this dialect."

Tamara took out her Stark phone and sent a message to JARVIS, asking if he could search worldwide missing children reports for the girl. She snapped a picture of the girl and added it to the message. "I've got a friend searching worldwide missing children reports. If she's been reported missing, we'll find her family."

While Tamara played music and read to the other children, Loki kept the small girl with him. As Tamara read, he translated the stories for the small girl. When Tamara said it was time to leave, the small girl was asleep in his arms and he hated the idea of leaving her behind. He was a bit surprised to hear a familiar laugh behind him. Turning, he saw Thor watching him with a smile on his face. "I see you found the little ones, they like Tamara's stories better then mine and you made a friend."

"Yes, she reminds me of my own."

"Loki, are the legends true about you and your children?"

"Some of it is true. Sleipner, Fenris, and Jorgumand are shape-shifters. But I lived here on Midgard for a while as a mortal woman and I bore children. I am a sorcerer and that is part of my magic, I am man or woman as I choose."

"You must leave the child now brother."

"How can we leave her here? None of them can speak with her, or soothe her dreams. She said her mother sang her the same lullaby that Frigga sang to us, Thor. Please, can we take her with us? I will care for her until we find her family."


	13. Chapter 13

By now Steve had joined them and he was surprised to see Loki so relaxed, holding a sleeping child. “That's not how things work around here. I'm sorry.”

“Captain, most of you lost your parents before you were grown, but at least you remember them. She is small, helpless and alone and I am the first person in days who she has spoken to. Please, think of the child. Besides, it should not take Stark's machine long to find her family. Let me stay here or take her with us, but I will not leave her alone. I swear she will come to no harm from me.”

The little girl woke up and began to cry at the sight of all the strange people. Loki conjured a cup and offered it to her. She took the cup and looked inside, then drank a small amount. She tipped the cup up and drank the contents straight down, then held the cup out and spoke to Loki. Loki conjured a small plate of treats and the girl began to eat. When the treats were gone, she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

The old woman tried to take the girl from Loki but she clung to him even tighter and even without understanding the language, Steve could see she was terrified of him leaving her. He could see the change in Loki as he held the small girl so he motioned Thor into the next room. “Thor, is he serious, will he take care of her until we find her family?”

“My brother has had several children and he was always a loving parent. He is most sincere in his desire to help this child. And it would be but one small thing that would help him heal his soul and to make amends for the pain he caused. If it makes you feel better, I can insist they stay in my quarters and I will help take care of her. I believe Tamara would be willing to offer her assistance as well.”

Steve looked at Loki and the girl and he could see that they both needed each other, if only for a short time. So he left to speak with the head of the home, explaining that Loki was an ambassador and could speak her language but due to safety reasons, it was not possible for him to stay at the home with the girl. The head of the home knew exactly who they were, even when they were dressed casually; so she made the decision to allow them to take the girl, given her unusual situation.

Steve returned to the porch where Loki sat rocking the little girl to comfort her. “Alright, she can come with us. But everyone helps out, I want someone with her at all times. I'll explain it to Tony when we return.”

“Steve, we should talk to Pepper first, she'll help bring Tony around. We should also consider her health, we don't know how she got here but we should make sure she's not suffered any side effects, like radiation.”

“Good idea Tamara, Bruce and Tony can run any tests they think she needs and Jake can check her out too.”

“Captain, might I request that we stop somewhere to purchase foodstuffs? The foods here are not familiar to her so she hasn't been eating much but I can cook things she will eat.”

“OK, we'll get her a little in the way of clothes too. Hopefully, Pepper will help us, she should be heading back to the tower soon, maybe we can catch her before she gets upstairs.”

Loki soothed Drífa as he walked out the door of the home following Tamara and Steve. Just before they reached the car, the older woman came out of the home carrying a car seat. Since it was obvious from the way they looked at it that none of the men knew what to do with it, Tamara took it and secured it into the SUV. She instructed Loki on how to sit Drífa in the seat, then she carefully fastened the straps around her. Once she was secure in the middle of the back seat, Loki joined her and Thor went around the vehicle to take his seat. After everyone was secure, Tamara drove them all to a nearby kid-friendly store where she and Loki picked out several dresses and pajamas for Drífa, while Thor found her a couple of stuffed toys she could cuddle. When he presented her with a stuffed horse, she shook her head and said something to Loki. Loki just smiled and it was clear he was agreeing with her. They purchased the items and left the grocery store.

In the grocery store, Loki struggled to find the right ingredients to make many of the foods he knew. When he chanced upon goat's milk, he placed several containers into the cart. He selected a variety of fruits and vegetables but surprisingly no junk food. Once they had everything Loki sought, they paid for the items and left the store to return to the tower.

Pepper was just returning for the evening with Happy when they arrived back at the tower. It wasn't unusual for them to return with groceries but when she saw Loki take a sleeping child from the car, Pepper grew concerned.

“Steve, why does Loki have a child?”

“It's a long story and I'll explain while Loki and Tamara cook. But please, we need you to help us convince Tony to let her stay until we find her family.”

Pepper watched as Loki waited by the elevator, his hand absently stroking her hair as she stirred in her sleep. “Are you sure she is safe with him?”

“Thor says she is. And Loki and Drífa will not be left alone.”

Pepper was still concerned about the safety of the child, if not from Loki then what of Hulk and the others? The tower wasn't exactly kid-friendly with all the weapons lying around. She had no idea how Tasha would react to the small girl but she thought that Bruce would be the easiest to convince. As she joined the others in the elevator, she decided to bring the idea up with Steve. “Steve, Bruce can probably be convinced more easily than the others. JARVIS, don't say anything to anyone else about her, not yet at least.”

“Actually, we were gonna ask Bruce and Tony to take a look at her. That's part of why we brought her home, she just showed up here and has no memory of how she got here.”

“JARVIS, where are the others currently at?”

“Tony is in the workshop, Tasha and Clint are in the gym, Bruce and Jake are in the infirmary.”

“Anything wrong?”

“No Miss Potts, Bruce merely went to visit while he waits on test results from an experiment.”

“JARVIS, can you ask them to wait for us, we'll drop Tamara and Loki off with them, then Thor and I can put the rest of this away.”

“As you wish Steve.”

Soon the elevator stopped at the infirmary level where Loki and Tamara left to find Bruce and Jake. When they reached his floor, Thor went to stow the clothing and toys they had purchased for Drífa, then he made his way up to the main floor to assist Steve in putting away the groceries. Since Thor knew what Loki intended to cook, he left several items on a counter so Loki could find them easily when he ventured back upstairs. Pepper left her briefcase and workload in the office, then went to the suite she shared with Tony for a long shower. As she showered, she reflected on how peaceful and protective Loki seemed compared to how he had been described before she met him. Down in the infirmary, Bruce and Jake were far easier to convince than Loki expected. He could feel how thin Drífa was and it was apparent that both Bruce and Jake could see it as well. Loki used a sleep spell to keep Drífa quiet while Jake drew blood for tests and Bruce set up some equipment.

“Bruce, I am recording energy fluctuations from the girl. They are similar to those Tony has recorded previously.”

“What kind of energy JARVIS?”

“The readings are very similar to those recorded when teleportation has been performed in the tower, but not an identical match. I am also reading low levels of gamma and beta radiation.”

Bruce moved to a terminal to look at the data JARVIS was recording. He relaxed somewhat when he saw the levels of gamma radiation were well below danger levels and were consistent with exposure to dark lightning. The beta radiation levels were much higher but still not enough to be of serious concern. What did concern him and Jake were some of her test results that JARVIS was displaying. Her iron levels were dangerously low, along with her potassium. Jake had JARVIS order in potassium and iron supplements while he prepared a diet list for the small girl. While she was sleeping, they also took several full body scans, including X-rays. The x-rays showed an old broken leg and she had a few minor bruises which could be explained by the low iron.

When Drífa began to stir in her sleep, Jake allowed Loki to pick her back up and he sat back down on the bed with her. Once she was fully awake, he began to talk to her and explain what Jake and Bruce wanted, but to his surprise, it seemed she recognized much of the equipment in the room. She began to talk rapidly to Loki and when she quieted, he turned to the others to explain. “She asked if you are doctors, she remembers when her dad's car got broken and she hurt her leg. It sounds as though she remembers a car accident, that could explain the broken leg.”

Jake just nodded, “Why don't you take her upstairs for a bath? If you see any injuries we missed, JARVIS can record the data. But she doesn't seem to be an abused child, she's cautious but not scared and that's normal at her age.”

“Jake, how old do you think she is?”

“I'd say probably around three or four, but her mental age doesn't match her physical age, mentally she is several years older.”

Loki took Drífa in his arms and she wrapped her arms tight around his neck. Tamara went with him up to the floor he shared with Thor. JARVIS had anticipated their needs and begun to run a warm bath for Drífa. When Loki opened the bathroom door and she saw the tub full of bubbles, she squealed with delight and pushed away from Loki. Loki grinned as he set her on the floor, where she struggled to remove her clothes. Loki gave in and helped her undressed, then lifted her into the huge tub where she began to play. Tamara selected a set of pajamas for her, knowing it was already late and she would likely be going to sleep not long after supper.

Tamara left Loki with her for a few minutes and made her way to her room where she took the ring Odin had given them and slipped it on her finger. She then made her way back down to Thor's floor where she found Loki using magic to create animals out of bubbles. Loki must have guessed she went for her ring because he began to speak to Drífa, explaining who Tamara was and that he needed to leave her to prepare the meal. Drífa was upset until Tamara interrupted them by asking Drífa if she would like to watch Loki cook. Drífa paused mid-sentence and finally agreed. Now convinced that Tamara could understand her, Drífa didn't beg Loki to stay with her as she had done before.

It was clear that Drífa was attached to Loki when she immediately quit playing in the bubbles as he left. She allowed Tamara to wash her hair, then she insisted on washing herself. Once she was clean, Tamara drained the tub and ran the shower quickly to rinse the last of the bubbles off Drífa. Wrapping her up in a large fluffy towel, Tamara carried her into the bedroom and helped her dress in the pajamas. She braided Drífa's wet hair into two small braids before setting her down on the floor. Drífa took her hand, clearly uncomfortable in the huge room and eagerly followed Tamara out of the room.

Tamara took her down a floor to the kitchen where she found Loki busy cooking. She pulled a stool out for Drífa at the counter and took the vegetables Loki had set out and began to chop them for a salad. She smiled when Drífa snuck a piece of carrot and munched on it as she watched Loki cook. Loki poured her a glass of something and set it in front of her.

“Here sweetling, you need to drink lots of milk to grow strong.”

“Tank you 'oki.”

Tamara couldn't hide the smile that crept across her face as she heard the small girl try to pronounce Loki's name. As she finished preparing the salad, Loki pulled a casserole dish from the oven and set it on the counter to cool off. JARVIS announced to the tower that dinner was ready and soon the others began to file into the room.

Drífa tried to hide behind Loki when she heard other people. Tamara pulled a chair out for Loki and he gathered Drífa in his arms before sitting down with her in his lap. To say the others were surprised to find a child in the tower was an understatement.

“Why is there a kid in here? And with Loki?”

“Stark, she needs our help to find her family. I could not leave her in that place, alone and scared.”

“Wait, YOU brought her here? Why and how'd you get the others to go along?”

Tamara sat down in a chair beside Loki while Thor took a seat on his other side. “Tony, she doesn't speak English, I had to use the ring Odin gave us to be able to understand her. She has no idea how she got here, all she remembers is a bright light and then finding herself in a place she'd never seen. Bruce, tell Tony what you found out.”

“Wait, Bruce knows? Am I the only one who didn't know about the kid? Tony looked at the others as he asked and he suspected then that neither Clint nor Tasha knew about the little girl either. Glaring at Loki, he waited for Bruce to explain.

“Tony, you remember the energy readings you've recorded when Kurt has visited? Well JARVIS recorded similar energy readings from her, along with beta and gamma radiation.”

“Gamma is bad, how much?” Tony was no longer put out that he hadn't been told, he knew the effects of gamma radiation usually meant a lingering death.

“Luckily for her, very minimal, about what you'd record from dark lightning. Her iron and potassium are low as well. I think she got very lucky.”

“OK, she can stay, but we need to find out where she came from, she can't stay here forever.”

“Already working on that Tony, I sent her info to JARVIS a few hours ago, he's searching worldwide reports of missing children.”

“We'll discuss this more after supper.”

Everyone sat down and fixed their plates, enjoying the stew that Loki and Tamara had prepared. Watching Loki care for the little girl, Tony couldn't help but reflect on how different he was now compared to when he tried to take over Earth. After supper was finished, Loki and Thor took Drífa back to Thor's floor to put her to bed. She cried when they started to leave so the two men sat with her in the huge bed, where she slept peacefully, safe between the two men as they watched a movie. Once she was sound asleep, Thor left the room to sleep on the couch, leaving Loki to stay with Drífa.

Everyone else retired to the media room to discuss what to do about the little girl. Bruce had JARVIS transfer all her test results to Tony's tablet so he could see the energy fluctuations. Tony looked over the test results while everyone got comfortable. “JARVIS, any luck finding her family yet?”

“Not yet, but I have eliminated all reports outside of Europe. Many of the police stations in Europe are very small and not connected to the Internet. However, I have analyzed her speech patterns and it is most likely she is from Norway or Sweden. Her speech patterns are consistent with children raised in those countries.”

“Thanks J”

“Tony, can I borrow a car tomorrow? It's possible the professor can help, he can read her mind and maybe find out where exactly she came from. We can also find out for sure if she might be an emerging mutant.”

“Sure, who all do you plan to take?”

“Steve should come, it'd be a good opportunity for him to meet the professor. She feels safe with Thor and Loki especially since they can understand her. It'll take more than an hour to drive there, not to mention the tolls.”

“You could take one of my choppers, it'd be a short flight. I'd like to go along to, I've been wanting to meet this professor. How about you Bruce, wanna come too?”

Pepper looked up from where she was curled in the recliner with Tony. “I think you all should go, Clint and Tasha can handle the piloting. It'd give you all a chance to meet the other X-Men, maybe even work out a little together.”

“I don't think the professor would mind. I'll send him a message before bed tonight. So unless you hear otherwise, everyone should be ready to leave for the mansion by 10 am tomorrow.”


	14. Chapter 14

When everyone came into the kitchen the next morning for breakfast Tamara greeted them with a smile as she cooked. Loki was cutting up pancakes for Drífa while Thor set the table. Steve was cooking a huge stack of pancakes while Tamara was cooking bacon, eggs, and sausage. Natasha and Clint arrived first and took their seats as Steve set the pancakes on the table. As he helped Tamara set the rest of the food on the table, Loki got out the usual juices and Bruce's tea that he preferred for breakfast. The coffee pot finished just as Tony stumbled in and Tamara filled his usual mug. The coffee pot was passed around that end of the table while the others helped themselves to juices. Nothing was said for several minutes as everyone began to eat but soon the buzz of conversation started around the table. Loki noticed that everyone was now wearing the translation rings that Odin had given them and it pleased him that they cared about Drífa enough to do so.

As everyone began to finish eating, they started to discuss what they would be doing that day. Naturally, the first thing everything wanted to know was the response from Professor Xavier. “Professor Xavier said he'd be glad to help Drífa and he looks forward to meeting everyone. He invited us to join the team in a danger room session. I've never been to the mansion but Jake has and he's watched training sessions; he said it's very different from how we train. The professor also said we can use the locker room to change if we don't want to wear our uniforms.”

Everyone helped clean up breakfast then left to go grab their uniforms and gear. As they met on the roof, Tamara noticed that like her, Steve had normal clothes on but that Tasha and Clint were already dressed. Bruce was wearing normal clothing, except that he had the pants that Thor had given him in Asgard. Thor and Loki were dressed in normal clothes but Tamara knew their armor was bound to them by magic and could be easily called anytime. Drífa was dressed in one of the outfits Loki had picked for her and she clutched a stuffed horse in her hands. As Tamara looked closer, she noticed the horse had eight legs and she realized that Loki must have used magic to make it resemble Sleipner. As everyone boarded the chopper, JARVIS let them know that Tony would fly himself as he felt the chopper might not hold up to the weight of the suit and two demi-gods.

When the chopper reached Westchester county, Jake directed Clint on how to locate the Xavier Institute. Clint noticed a large clearing behind the school within easy walking distance so he set the chopper down there. As everyone started to exit the chopper, they became aware of a large number of children watching them from the safety of the tree line. Jake was the first to approach the children and it was clear he was recognized as he was swarmed by several teens.

Tamara stepped down from the chopper and started walking towards a small group off to one side. Loki recognized both Remy and Marie but not the other adults who awaited them. Trusting Tamara would be able to guide him wherever he needed to go, Loki walked after her, carrying Drífa who had dozed off during the short flight. Tamara waited patiently for him to join them before the group started towards the spacious mansion. Remy led them inside the mansion to an office on the bottom floor. Inside, Loki found an older man watching the children play outside as he waited for them.

“Professor, thanks for helping us out. We're not having much luck finding Drífa's family.”

“Always right to the point Tamara. When will you learn to relax and enjoy things?”

Tamara blushed slightly, “Sorry sir, I just want to find her family so she can go home.”

“Where are your companions?”

“I think they got sidetracked by the kids. Do you need Drífa awake to search her memories?”

“No, let the child sleep, but it would help to have contact with her.”

Loki cautiously carried Drífa over to a chair near the wheelchair-bound man and seated himself without waking Drífa The professor placed his hands on the sides of Drífa's head and closed his eyes. After several minutes of quiet, he removed his hands and smiled. “It will be easier to find her family than you thought. It seems her mother is a mutant and her memories show her with a large group of mutants.”

Loki smiled at the thought of returning Drífa to her family. “How does that make it easier?”

“The professor can use Cerebro to find them now that he has images of them.”

“I do not understand.”

“Cerebro is a machine that allows me to amplify my telepathy. Why don't you take Drífa outside with the other children? I'll look for you there when I have found her family.”

Loki climbed to his feet and followed Tamara outside to join the others. He made himself comfortable on the steps and watched the children playing in the sun. He noticed Thor was talking with a dark-skinned woman with striking white hair. Tony and Bruce were busy chatting with a muscular blue humanoid. Clint and Tasha were seated on the ground with a small group of teens, including one who was casually juggling snowballs while Steve was off to one side with a dark-haired man.

After a few minutes outside, the noise of children playing awoke Drífa and she stretched sleepily. As she sat up in his lap, a young boy with fur and a tail came over to sit beside Loki.

“Can she come play with us?”

“Yes, but not too far off, I do not know when we shall be leaving.”

The boy looked at Drífa, “I'm Kevin, you want to play with us?”

Drífa nodded then without a backward glance at Loki ran off with Kevin to join the other young children who played outside. Loki noticed that all of the younger children were visible mutants and he remembered what Tamara had told him about mutants having to hide who they were. Deep down, he wondered what kind of parent could abandon a child just because they were different.

After a few minutes, Thor and Tamara joined Loki where he sat watching Drífa as she played with the other children. Neither one said anything but he knew they were concerned about him. “I am fine, you need not hover over me.”

“I am truly sorry brother. I know you miss your own children and I worry it will be hard for you to return Drífa to her family.”

“Not at all, so long as they are truly concerned for her. But be warned, if they show no concern for her, then I shall do my best to keep her. I would not have her live with those who care not for her safety.”

“Loki, you can trust the professor. He'll find her family and if he thinks they are a danger to her, then he'll help you find her a place to live. But you can't expect her to live with us at the tower, she wouldn't be safe there.”

“Not safe, do not try to fool me, I have tested the defenses around the tower and even added some magical defenses since I have come to live there. How could she not be safe?”

“SHIELD is one way, not to mention if you ever took her out in public, everyone around would know she lived there. Anyone wanting to hurt you would use her, threaten her.”

Loki sat quietly and pondered what Tamara had said. It was true that SHIELD was not happy with him and he had no doubt that they would at least try to take Drífa away from him. All he truly wanted was to be accepted for who he was, not who others wanted him to be. He was still watching Drífa play when he heard a noise behind him as the front door opened to reveal the Professor and two strange women.

Drífa was seated on the ground with the other young mutant children as one of the teens told them a story. One of the strange women stood quietly at the top of the steps for just a few seconds before running off across the grounds towards the group of children. Drífa looked up to see the woman and ran to her, obviously happy. Loki watched as the woman swept Drífa into a hug and kissed her forehead. Hugging Drífa close to her, the woman returned to the steps and the small group gathered there.

“I wish to thank you for finding my daughter. I feared I would never see her again.”

“How came you to lose such a precious child?”

“We were attacked several days ago. We have several teleporters in our community and if we are attacked, it is their job to get the children to safety. Drífa was with one of our older members when the attack came and they both disappeared. Her mate said he can no longer sense her so we fear she is dead or she would have returned with Drífa.”

“Her mate?”

“Yes, they are a bonded pair of shape-shifters, like many of us. I knew Drífa was still alive but I could not find her, my skills do not lie in that area. A short while ago, I felt a presence in my mind and they gave me an image of Drífa. My sister is a teleporter and I asked her to bring me here.”

“I will miss her, she is a joy to be around.”

Drífa's mother looked to where the other woman still waited at the top of the steps. She knelt down and allowed Drífa to give Loki one last hug before offering him a hug as well. “My sister shall take us home, Drífa is a true treasure and I owe you more than I can say. Thank You.” With those words, she rose and joined the woman at the top of the steps. The other woman wrapped Drífa in a hug as well before joining hands with her mother, only to vanish before everyone.

A few minutes later the children began to file inside and move to a large dining room for lunch. Remy escorted Tamara and the Avengers to a smaller dining room next to where the children were eating. Tamara noticed that several of the teenage mutants, including Bobby and Kurt, were seated around the large dining room to supervise the children. Jean and Scott took seats at each end of the large table and it was clear the children were well-behaved as they quietly passed the food around before beginning to eat while talking quietly.

Professor X took his place at the table in the smaller dining room while Beast took a seat at the other end. Marie and Remy took seats and Tamara joined them before motioning to Loki to take a seat beside her. Steve and Logan took the last two seats on that side. Bruce and Tony took the seats closest to Beast on the opposite side. Storm seated herself beside the professor and then Thor joined her as he continued to chat with her. Tasha and Clint took the last seats and soon the sound of clattering utensils was heard in the room.

It was a light lunch and everyone was quiet as they ate but Tamara could tell that Loki was uncomfortable. She reached under the table and lightly squeezed his leg to reassure him and received a small smile in return. Once everyone finished eating, Professor X led them back to his office. Charles took his usual place behind the large desk while everyone else got comfortable as best they could in the limited seating. Tamara watched Loki out of the corner of her eyes as he stood awkwardly beside Thor.

_'Professor, maybe you can help Loki. He suffered terribly at the hands of another and I think he fears the reactions of others. I've heard him at night, he has terrible nightmares and I know Thor is worried for him.'_

_'I can only offer my help, I can not force it upon him.'_

Tamara stood and brought Loki over to join her and Professor X. “Loki, the Professor can help you, if you let him. You do understand what a telepath is right?”

“He can read my mind, correct?”

“Yes, but I will only with your permission. Drífa was an exception because we needed to find her family to reunite them. The only other exception I make is for someone seriously injured when we know nothing about them, I would not wish to accidentally harm someone.”

“I do not understand.”

“You remember the children my team picked up several days ago from the tower? Well, the boy passed out from exhaustion before they returned here and his sister was unconscious for several days. However, she was in need of surgery to repair the damage from a gunshot wound. I was able to reach her memories and she is deathly allergic to a medicine commonly used for anesthesia. Had I not read her mind, she most likely would have died as Cecilia tried to save her life. But forewarned, Cecilia was able to ensure a different medicine was used. And Tamara, Jake tells me you still suffer from nightmares from your ordeal. I can install blocks to allow you to deal with your own issues more slowly.”

“Yeah, I can't continue to spend so many sleepless nights wandering the city. I don't want the others to know, but Loki can watch if it will help him.”

Professor turned to face the others who were continuing to talk in small groups. “Scott, why don't you take them all down to the Danger Room? Hank, could you wait outside for a few minutes?”

Scott nodded but didn't say anything as he started to lead the Avengers and the other X-Men from the room, leaving only Tamara and Loki with the professor.

“Make yourself comfortable Tamara, then just close your eyes and relax.”

Tamara relaxed in the chair as Professor X moved to a position behind her. He gently placed his hands on both sides of her head and closed his eyes. _'Relax Tamara, this will not hurt a bit.'_

_'Sorry, this is a new experience for me.'_

Tamara could feel Professor X as he examined her memories of her abduction and time as a hostage. Gradually, she noticed that some memories were hazier and didn't bother her as much. _'Can you handle the memories I left unblocked or would you like me to block more? As you are able to deal with them, the other memories will gradually return until the blocks are no longer needed.'_

_'I think I can handle those that are left, thank you.'_

Professor X withdrew his hands from Tamara's head and watched as she sat back up. She rubbed her temples, feeling a slight ache. “Is a headache normal?”

“It can be, it simply depends on the person. Most of the X-Men no longer suffer from headaches when I contact them but some of the newer members still do. Hank is curious why you never contacted him about the letter Remy delivered.”

“To be completely honest, I still haven't read it. We went to Asgard and then with bringing Loki back, it didn't seem that important.”

“Well Loki, would you like some assistance in dealing with your own memories?”

“I think not for now. I would like to see how Tamara handles having her memories tampered with before I allow anyone inside my mind.”

“I understand but the offer stands. Rest assured that if you chose to accept my offer, that I shall tell no one what your memories reveal unless you give permission.”


	15. Chapter 15

Hank was waiting outside the room when Tamara and Loki exited. He started down the hall and Tamara and Loki fell into step with him.

“I never got around to reading the letter you sent me Hank. We had our trip to Asgard and then things got difficult when we brought Loki back. Was it really important?”

“Not really, I just thought you might like to know more about your own mutation. Based on my research, I'd say you qualify as a level 3 mutant. I think you can refine your ability but I don't know if you can get stronger.” Hank led them down a flight of steps to the sub-basement where the Danger Room was located. They entered the room and watched as various X-Men demonstrated their abilities. Tamara always enjoyed watching Remy play with his cards but she knew it was more than just a parlor trick.

When everyone was done with the demonstration, both teams left the room to return to the main part of the institute. They spent a short time discussing the powers and abilities of each group before deciding it was time for the Avengers to return to the tower. As Tamara said her goodbyes, she felt a sense of family that she had missed for so long.

It was a short trip back to the tower where Loki left the group and went to his room. Tamara went to her room to change, then made her way to the gym to work off some stress. JARVIS had several tracks that she liked to use as she worked through her gymnastics routines so she started with the floor mats. She relished the stretch of her muscles as she worked through one of her favorite routines. Once she was done with the floor mats, she moved to the rings where she could focus on upper body strength. Her last stop for the day was on the balance beam as she flipped and somersaulted along the beam.

When she was done, she left the gym to return to her room for a shower before heading to the kitchen to help fix supper. Thor was learning to cook and Tamara did not intend to leave him alone since his idea of fixing supper meant takeout and ice cream for dessert. When she left the shower, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail as she made her way to the kitchen.

To her surprise, she found Loki in the kitchen already assisting Thor as he prepared to cook. Thor had several large steaks on a platter along with a stack of hamburgers. Thor carried the platter out to the deck where Tony had two large grills stationed. It was still warm outside and she noticed that Thor already had one grill going where he began to lay out the steaks and hamburgers. Another grill was still warming up as he returned to the kitchen to retrieve a tray of both hot dogs and sausages which he placed on the second grill. As Thor stood over the grills, Loki was busy preparing a salad and laying out supplies for supper.

When Tamara tried to help, Loki sent her off to retrieve the others instead of letting her help. That night, they all enjoyed a meal that Thor had cooked by himself for once. As leftovers were packed away into the fridge, the dishes were cleaned and put away. Finally, everyone was ready for a quiet evening of movies but Loki declined to join them, instead of asking Tony if he was serious about offering him a room of his own. Tony tossed a Stark pad over to Tamara, knowing she would understand. Tamara sat with Loki on the deck and helped him go over furniture selections but refusing to allow him to see the prices. To her surprise, Loki selected simple furniture with the exception of the bed, which was a simple design but the mattress set was designed for pure comfort. His one extravagance was the selection of several bookcases which she knew would end up lining the walls of his room. After placing the order for furniture, Tamara urged Loki to continue shopping and she guided him to bookstores where he began to browse the selections. She ordered several classics for him to read and created a list of books that he might also like to read at some point. But by far, the largest selection of books Loki found was among herbals and gardening.

“I didn't know you were interested in plants.”

“I do not have much magic for healing but I am familiar with the making of herbals for healing. Is it forbidden in this realm for men to care for plants?”

“No, not at all. Some of the greenhouses I frequent are run by men. Tony converted a couple of rooms into a greenhouse for me several months ago. You're welcome to use anything in there and you can add plants if you like.”

“I appreciate the offer, I spent much time in my mother's garden as a boy. The other children never thought to look for a Prince of Asgard in the garden but I soon found out how helpful plants could be. My mother caught me there one day and began to add herbal medicine to my magic lessons.”

“JARVIS, add Loki to unrestricted access to the greenhouse please.”

“As you wish.”

“I have some cabinets where I keep the dangerous herbs. I keep them locked so that no one accidentally uses them. There's a cabinet filled with various tea mixes and herbs for cooking and all, everyone has access to it.”

“I appreciate your trust, it has been a long time since anyone trusted me the way you do.”

“Loki, if I didn't show you trust, then I'm not worthy of your trust. I'll see you in the morning.” Tamara left Loki to return to his room and went to her own. Soon she was fast asleep and for once she didn't have a nightmare. Loki stayed awake for some time, browsing the books that Tamara had downloaded for him on plants and herbs of this realm. Finally, he heard Thor return to his room and Loki himself went to bed, feeling safe in this place among these people he had once battled.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki goes out with Thor to see the city while Tamara has business of her own.

When Loki awoke in the morning, his first thoughts were of Drífa and her family. _'Does she miss me? Is she safe there now?'_ As he stretched, he could smell the coffee in the air and he knew that meant that others were up already. Glancing at the clock, he saw that he had slept later than he planned for it was already 9 am. He quickly changed clothes and headed into the spacious kitchen in search of breakfast.

When he arrived, he found Thor seated at the table with a huge stack of pancakes and he noticed the clean dishes in the drainer. “Where are the others?”

“Clint and Tasha are in the gym but I believe that Tamara has gone for a run. I am not sure where the others are right now.”

Loki joined Thor at the table and grabbed several pancakes before Thor could finish off the stack. As he ate he wondered what he was allowed to do and where he was allowed free travel within this realm. He already knew which floors he was permitted access on and which ones to stay away from but he wished to see more of the city. The only thing keeping him from exploring the city was the uncertainty about how the authorities might react if he was alone.

Thor watched as Loki ate and he noticed the frown that briefly crossed his face. Guessing as to the reason, he decided to speak up. “Would you like to accompany me into the city today? I sometimes wander the city dressed as a mortal so I may learn more about them.”

Loki was quiet for a minute and Thor was concerned his offer would be rejected until Loki spoke up. “I would like that brother. Do you have anything specific in mind?”

“Not really, I just let my heart lead me. Sometimes I go far and JARVIS must guide me home and sometimes I only go as far as the park. I have met many people in the park and have learned much about this place.”

Loki finished eating as Thor washed his dishes. Loki washed his dishes and set them to dry while Thor left a note for the others. “Why leave them a note? Surely the machine can inform them where we have gone?”

“JARVIS will track us but I have found it to be a small thing that pleases them, especially Tamara.”

“You truly care for her.”

“When we were small, I sometimes saw the other boys who had sisters and wished we had a sister as well. I heard Mother once say she wished she had a daughter to follow after her. This was before you began to study magic but I remember how Frigga would sometimes look at the young girls in court and the way they interacted with their mothers. Tamara is the little sister we never got to have and I will always protect her.”

“As will I brother, never fear that.”

Neither said another word as they left the kitchen and made their way to the elevator. Loki was a bit surprised when Toi joined them since he thought the cat would be with Tamara. Toi pawed at Thor's leg and he chuckled as he knelt down slightly. Toi jumped lightly to his shoulder and made herself comfortable before the elevator reached the ground floor.

Thor and Loki exited the elevator and Thor spoke briefly to the men at the massive desk before striding towards the double doors gracing the front of the building. As Loki stepped outside after Thor, he noticed that most people were wearing more clothes than either he or Thor and he wondered if they should change. A man in uniform approached Thor and handed him something, then reached up to take Toi and hold her while Thor put on the jacket the man had provided. Thor handed Loki another jacket and Toi returned to his shoulder. “Sometimes I forget the mortals feel the cold more than we do. Tony has made sure the staff reminds me of appropriate outer clothing.”

Thor walked slowly down the street, watching people as they passed and Loki followed a few steps behind, unsure of his reception. However, when it became clear that the mortals did not recognize him, he relaxed and moved to join Thor. They walked a short distance before entering Central Park where Thor led the way to several benches near a playground. There were several older people occupying benches in the area and many of them called greetings to Thor as he approached. Thor responded to these greetings as Toi jumped from his shoulder to make her way over to the speakers.

One older woman approached them as Thor took a seat on an empty bench. “I see you have brought a friend today.”

“This is my brother, he is staying with us now.”

“Ah, welcome Trickster.”

Loki was startled that the woman seemed to know who he was. “Why would you call me that?”

“Is that not one of your names? Or do you prefer Liesmith? Many of us know who Thor is, even though he does not call attention to himself. I know of only one brother of Thor.”

“Indeed, I am Loki. Does it not concern you that I am here?”

“Why should it? Thor said you were staying with them, so someone has decided you are not a threat. Who are we to judge those who risk their lives for us? We trust them to keep us safe and you would not be here now, like this, if they felt you would harm anyone.”

“That is an unusual way to look at things. Do you trust your leaders the same way?”

“Most of us don't but the Avengers are different, they never ask for anything but they are willing to sacrifice everything for us. If they are willing to trust you, who are we to question their judgment?”

The woman left them and Loki joined Thor on the bench. He noticed Thor was watching the children as they played and several children kept glancing their way as they played. Finally, one child got bold enough to approach. “Can you come play with us today?”

“I will if my brother does not mind.”

“When did you become fond of children brother?”

“Since I first came to Midgard. I regret that I did not spend more time with your children as they grew.”

“It matters not now, go play with the children.”

“Join us, two can help the children much quicker.”

Loki glanced at Thor and was surprised to see his brother was serious but he declined anyways. As Thor took the hand of the child and walked back to the play area, Loki watched quietly. A small group of children had lined up near a strange contraption resembling a ladder and Thor walked to the head of the line. Loki watched as Thor lifted the first child up and walked along with them as they traversed the contraption. Once that child was safely across, Thor returned to help the next child cross. After all the children had crossed, the small group moved towards a slide. The children climbed up the ladder and began to slide while Thor waited at the bottom to ensure they landed safely.

Loki looked around, studying the people in the park and noticed that most people were ignoring Thor while Toi was stretched out in the sun nearby. A woman approached the bench with a young babe in her arms and sat beside him without even asking. Loki started to say something but he saw Toi was approaching. To his surprise, Toi did not join him but rather jumped to sit beside the woman. The babe in her arms slept peacefully as Toi nudged the woman who finally began to gently stroke her back. After a few minutes, the woman got up and left, leaving Toi sitting with Loki. When Thor returned some time later, Loki was still sitting watching the people around them. Thor started walking back towards the tower and Loki was quick to follow him, not desiring to be alone just yet. When they re-entered the tower, an employee took the coat Thor removed so Loki did the same. They returned to the main floors where Loki returned to his room to work on his magic and trying to find a way to adapt the healing spells he knew for use by Tamara.


	17. Chapter 17

Meanwhile, across town, Tamara had indeed gone for a run but that was not all she had on her mind this morning. As she ran, she thought about what she would say to the man she believed to be Daredevil. As she approached the office building in Hell's Kitchen, she toyed with the envelope stuck in her pocket.

She was understandably nervous as she entered the elevator and pressed the button for the third floor. Deciding she didn't want to know right now if she was wrong, she decided to just leave the envelope instead of asking to speak to anyone. She exited the elevator when it arrived at the third floor and found a door labeled “Nelson and Murdock Law Offices”. Opening the door she found a small office with only a few chairs and a single desk where a secretary sat.

“Excuse me, I have a delivery here for Mr. Murdock.” Tamara pulled the sealed envelope from her pocket and placed it on the desk in front of the secretary.

“Do I need to sign for it?”

“No ma'am. Just make sure he know the contents are for him only.” Tamara turned and left the office before the secretary could respond. When she exited the building, she couldn't decide what to do next so she began to wander, much in the way Thor did. She found herself wandering back towards the tower but along the way she decided to stop and see if Brian was around. She hadn't seen him or any of the others since Lucas had died but she tried to keep up with what was happening in their lives. She made her way to a small salon nestled between stores and opened the door, only to be recognized right away by the owner, who just happened to be Brian's mom.

“Tamara, child, where have you been? Not seen you around in so long I was beginning to think maybe you forgot about us working people.”

“No Mama Jo, I've been keeping up with everyone, it's just...when Lucas died it hurt too much to be around everyone. And now things have gotten complicated. My job requires that I travel, often with little notice. I didn't want to come back into everyone's lives just to disappear again suddenly.”

“Everyone was concerned about you. Several times Brian wanted to go find you, to make sure you were safe but every time he tried to find you, he always got a message letting him know you were safe but not yet ready to return to your friends.”

“Is Brian around? I wanted to ask him about helping me with something for Halloween.”

“He's with his girlfriend at work, at a theater off-Broadway. She handles costumes and Brian does makeup, he really loves his work.”

Tamara got the address of the small theater where Brian was working and after promising to come back to visit, or at least call, she left Mama Jo in her shop. The theater was only a short walk away and it was quiet when Tamara eased open the door. She knew it was almost lunch time and she also knew that Brian had to take scheduled breaks to eat due to his diabetes. She found the theater mostly empty, only a few voices drifted her way as she walked down the aisle towards the stage. As expected, she recognized Brian's deep bass voice from behind the curtain and the talk intrigued her. Slipping a hand around the curtain, she drew it carefully aside to avoid announcing her presence just yet.

Brian was surrounded by a small group of both men and women as he sat on the floor, a young woman curled up close beside him. A large easel was set up beside him and she recognized his flowing handwriting on the tablet perched there. Standing silently in the shadows, she listened to them talk and brainstorm a fundraising event. She didn't know what they were trying to raise funds for, but if Brian was involved, she knew it was for a good cause.

Clearing her throat, she stepped into the light as Brian turned at the unexpected sound. “Tamara, what are you doing here? Everyone's been worried about you, especially Mama.”

“I missed you, I'm sorry it's been so long but everyone reminded me too much of Lucas. It hurt too much to see all of you going on with your lives knowing his was cut short.”

“Well don't just stand there, come join us. And I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Elizabeth.”

Tamara was surprised when the woman greeted her with a hug. “He only talks about one Tamara that disappeared so I know I have no worries about losing him to you. I'm glad you're here, it will make Mama Jo so happy to see you, and call me Lizzie.”

“I don't know what to say. I thought you'd be mad at me for running away after Lucas died. Not to be rude, but what happened to Amanda?”

“We found we made better friends. Don't worry, it was never really serious between us, more of a mutual arrangement so neither of us had to be alone at parties.”

Tamara took a seat on the floor beside Brian and Lizzie. “I heard you talking, what are you raising money for?”

One of the other men in the small group spoke up. “A family I know, there was a fire in their apartment building. Most everyone got out safe but Rosa was home with the kids when the fire started. Doug was at work when it happened but one of his neighbors called him. He told them Rosa and the kids were home and the neighbor was able to let the fire department know about Rosa and the kids. They found Rosa and Marco quickly but it took them time to find Maria. She got burned badly and the family doesn't have the money for the medical bills. The ceiling collapsed as a fireman was bringing her out, he got burned too.”

“Where are they?”

“Maria is at Harlem Hospital, same as the firefighter. He's in a regular room but she's in the burn ward, they won't even let her brother in to see her.”

“Why not Cornell, the burn center there is better.”

“The dad's insurance won't cover it since Harlem has a burn center. It was the closest place so that's where she was taken; if the family transfers her, insurance won't cover it at all.”

“What kind of event did you have in mind, maybe I can help?”

“We're not sure, that's what we're trying to decide. A RenFaire has been suggested but so has just a huge costume party with admission going to the family to help with bills.”

“If you hosted a costume party, where would you hold it?”

“Here, the owner already said we could use the theater if we needed it.”

“Let me talk to a friend of mine and see what he can do to help, just give me a couple of days to talk to him and I'll let you know what I can do to help.” Tamara's watch buzzed as the alarm she had set sounded. “I hate to run but I have to get back home. I'm not at the apartment anymore, I'm staying uptown close to work.” Tamara rose quickly and slipped off before anyone could say anything else to her.

When Tamara stepped outside the theater, her mind was already working on trying to help this family. She knew if she went to Tony, that he'd help. She also knew that anything Tony did would need to stay behind the scenes. She didn't think her friends from college would use her to get Tony to help with things, but the fewer people who knew he was involved the better. It was only a couples of miles back to the tower and she used that time to try to come up with a plan, but first, she knew she'd need JARVIS to help.


	18. Chapter 18

Tamara's mind was still running wide open as she entered the tower and she knew she needed to focus if she was going to come up with a viable way to help this family. Knowing only one thing that let her get centered and focused, she made her way to the gym instead of to her room. She didn't bother to change clothes, she just went straight to the equipment. When she entered the gym, she saw Tasha and Steve sparring in the ring but she didn't interrupt them even though she knew both of them would have heard her enter. Opening a drawer, she took out a communicator and inserted it into her ear. “JARVIS, can you play one of my lists through here for me? I need to work out but I don't want to disturb Tasha or Steve with music.”

JARVIS didn't reply but a few seconds later the sounds of music began to drift through the earpiece. Tamara moved to a mat and began to slowly stretch, allowing the pace of the music to guide her actions. Once she was stretched, she began a floor routine focusing on the ballet-like movements before the music increased the pace and she began to include somersaults and flips into the routine. When the music increased again, she moved from the mat to the pommel horse for a few songs before moving to the balance beam. She could feel a slight sheen of sweat on her skin but she could also feel her mind beginning to clear as well. When she left the balance beam, she moved to the bars, focusing her thoughts as she spun and flipped through a well-loved routine. Finally, she moved back to the mat but now she just danced. JARVIS must have been monitoring her through sensors because when her moves did not match the tempo of the music, it changed abruptly to match her moves as she danced around the mat.

When Tamara finally stopped dancing, she was tired but not exhausted. She had forgotten how tiring a dance routine could be but it was a pleasant tired. She stretched her muscles out slowly before settling down on the mat to meditate. She had been so focused on her dancing that she never knew that Steve and Tasha had watched her as she danced or that they left the gym without interrupting her. Some time later her thoughts were finally in order and she returned to her room to shower. Before she climbed into the shower, she asked JARVIS to get whatever information he could find on Maria and her family. By the time she was done, JARVIS already had located the information regarding the fire and had begun to gather more information on the family. He sent everything he found to the tablet that Tamara used and filed it all in a folder for her to access.

It was late afternoon by the time Tamara was dressed so she stopped by the kitchen for a light snack, tablet in hand. Even though it was early October it was still warm outside so she decided to enjoy the weather on the deck as she read over the information JARVIS had gathered. Toi followed her out and curled up at her feet as she read, content just to be near her. She was still reading when Loki came outside looking for her. He took a chair next to where Tamara sat reading.

“Tamara, I was wondering where you were. Do you still want to see if we can adapt the healing spells to allow you to work magic?”

“Yeah, I may need it. What do we need to do?”

“I wish to work with you to create healing items, something you can store healing energy within for later use.”

“How will that work, where will the energy come from?”

“From you, it is a simple thing really. I recommend you choose something small and easily carried. It can be something easily destroyed or something sturdy that can be reused. Mages often use items to store magic and healing magic is no different. Usually, when I create a power item, I set a word to trigger it; that way, should my enemies gain control of it, it will be worthless to them. I know not how much healing you could siphon into an item, a lot would depend on the item.”

“Could you help me create some small item for everyone, something they could easily hide, for emergency use of course.”

“I will, but you must limit the items you create. It will require you to drain your own abilities to charge them, much the same as if you were actually healing someone. I will need supplies for spell casting, the spell to create power items requires components that I do not have with me.”

“OK, so tomorrow we find the stuff you need. Make me a list and I'll get JARVIS to find places that sell it.”

“It is not that simple. Your greenhouse will provide the herbs I need but for the magic items, I must locate a certain type of store, one that is hidden from normal people. If Odin will permit me, I can use a spell to locate a place that will sell me the items I require.”

“What, here in New York?”

“This is a large city, it should have several stores that sell what I need, whether they will sell to me, I know not.”

Tamara's gaze returned to the tablet and the information JARVIS had gathered on the injured girl and her family. A picture of her and her brother dominated the page, along with a story detailing the fire. Loki glanced at the tablet when she laid it down on the table beside her.

“What is this you are reading?”

“A friend of mine told me about this family. The little girl was severely burned in a fire recently and is still in the hospital. The hospital she's at is fine but we have a better one here, over at Cornell. She really needs the best burn center if she's gonna make it but if her family transfers her, insurance won't pay the bills any longer. I want to do something to help the family so they can transfer her, but I need to see her first. I don't want to make the wrong choice here and help someone who might end up being a horrible person.”

“How can such a small child be a horrible person?”

“Loki, I don't know about Asgard but here there are people we call sociopaths. These people have no care for others and often are born that way, think of it as a defect.”

“We have had children like that in Asgard, Syn can see into their souls and such children are sequestered from others and trained to be warriors. They are known as Nightstalkers for often they are sent out at night to destroy an enemy.”

“Will Odin permit you to help me visit her? I need an illusion or something so no one will know I am there.”

Before Loki could respond a raven landed on the table between them and cocked its head to the side before bobbing it a couple of times. When the raven flew off, Tamara was puzzled by the strange behavior but it seemed Loki was not. “Apparently, he will. That raven was a messenger for him; he can control the birds even from Asgard but only for such a simple task. For more difficult tasks, he must send either Huginn or Muninn. When would you like to visit the child?”

“Tonight, after visiting hours end. The fewer people who see me at the hospital, the better and I can assume the less time you need to keep the enchantment up the better.”

Loki simply nodded.

“The others don't need to know right now what I plan to do but you can go out with me tonight, I have to meet someone. Be ready to head out after dark. Have you ever traveled over roof-tops before?”

“Not often, my brother is not one for sneaking around in that manner. But I am capable of stealth when needed. I prefer to use my magic to move but I am not able to do that right now, except in special situations.”

“We'll go out about 10 pm then. Wear loose comfortable clothes, something you can move easily in, and a pair of shoes with good traction.”

Tamara went back to the tablet while Loki sat outside and worked on a list of spell components he would need. He sent out a seeking spell to locate places that might sell the unusual items. After a while, JARVIS buzzed the tablet to remind Tamara of the time and she reluctantly put the tablet away after closing the files. She wasn't concerned about securing them because she knew that JARVIS would not reveal what she studied nor would the others poke into her business, unless they had a really good reason.

Loki glanced up when Tamara stretched in the chair before standing. “Come on, you're helping me cook tonight. Have you cooked much? Thor figured out the grill pretty quick but some of the kitchen stuff took a while.”

“I have cooked on occasion; I was married for a time in Asgard and we lived simply. She did not like having servants around all the time.”


	19. Chapter 19

“Good, roll your sleeves up and wash up well, we're gonna get messy. I'll get everything out for supper.”

Loki followed Tamara into the spacious kitchen and washed his hands well, knowing from experience that Tamara would not allow him to help otherwise. He watched as she began to pile things on the table, grouping certain items together. Finally, she had everything ready so she pulled out a couple of bowls and several pans. While she washed up, she had Loki dice peppers and onions. After she was cleaned, she began to pile meat into a bowl and instructed Loki to copy what she did. She added bread crumbs to the meat before beginning to break eggs into the mess. She selected some of the diced vegetables and tossed them in on top and threw more into the bowl Loki was preparing. On top of everything already in the bowls, she poured seasonings from different bottles and a wide variety of liquids in small amounts. Loki eyed the disgusting mess in the bowl and wondered just what they were making.

Tamara must have been able to read the confused expression on his face because she just laughed. “I forgot, Thor said you don't have meatloaf in Asgard. Don't worry, it tastes way better than it looks and it will look better after we mix it.”

Loki was surprised when Tamara plunged her hands into the gooey mess and began to mix it although it looked more like playing than mixing. “Well, stick your hands in and mix it. It looks gross but I always loved making meatloaf. How often does a parent encourage a child to get their hands messy like this?”

Before Loki could respond, Thor wandered into the kitchen looking for a snack. He grinned when he saw the pile of things on the table, for he truly loved Tamara's meatloaf and she usually made separate pans for each person, seasoned and specialized for each member of their little family. Thor tried to snatch a hot pepper but Tamara just rapped his knuckles with a spoon she had lying on the table and Loki grinned at the surprised look on his face.

Tamara chased Thor from the kitchen and sent him to go inform everyone else she was making meatloaf but only if they stayed out of her way. As each meatloaf was prepared, it was placed into a different colored glass pan and placed into an oven to cook. Once each meatloaf was finished, Tamara set Loki to slicing carrots whiled she peeled butternut squash. She took the squash and cut it into cubes and then filled another glass pan with water. Adding what Loki thought was an unhealthy amount of butter, she sprinkled sugar and then a very generous coating of cinnamon over the squash. She took the sliced carrots and placed them into another pan before covering them with water and adding butter and spices before placing them in the oven as well.

“JARVIS, you have the cooking times. The vegetables need to sit for 20 minutes before being served.” Tamara pulled out a box of foil and began to wrap potatoes, then showed Loki how to pierce the foil with a fork before placing them in the last empty oven. JARVIS turned that oven on as well while Tamara washed up a couple of bowls she had already used. She dried a couple and pulled out several flat trays which she placed on the table. Using one of the larger bowls, she began to mix up biscuits after setting eggs to boil. While the eggs were boiling, she prepared the biscuits and placed them on the trays to go in the oven after the vegetables were finished. By the time the biscuits were ready for the oven, the eggs were boiled so she had Loki rinse them with cold water to cool them down, then begin peeling them. He watched as she sliced the eggs and dumped the cooked yolks into a bowl while setting the egg itself aside. He had never had deviled eggs before so Tamara allowed him to taste the left-over deviling mix as she placed the eggs into the fridge to chill.

While waiting for the food to finish cooking, Tamara had Loki set the table while she washed up the dishes she had used to prepare the food. As Tamara finished washing the last of the dishes, JARVIS announced it was time to remove the vegetables. Tamara removed them from the oven and set them on the counter to cool and placed the trays of biscuits into the oven to cook. “JARVIS, please let everyone know supper is in 20 minutes and not to be late.”

Loki had watched Tamara as she cooked and he was curious. “Why do you go to so much trouble, would it not be easier to order food as the others often do?”

Tamara grabbed a pitcher of herbal tea from the fridge as she answered Loki. “When I was growing up, some of the best times I had was when I got to cook with my family. We seldom had food that we didn't cook ourselves and we often shared with neighbors. The way I was raised, mealtimes were a way to show how much we cared about each other and a time to bond as a family. After a while, you'll find out what everyone else has learned. They enjoy my cooking and they know it comes with a price, we eat together. Eating together makes it feel more like a family and we talk about stuff not related to Avengers. JARVIS helps me out too by letting me know what the others are up to so if nobody starts talking, I can ask about something. Like visiting the children's home, I started going there after I found out Steve was visiting and teaching kids to draw. I volunteer at a local animal shelter sometimes too. Bruce likes to go over there because he can relate to the fear and mistrust of other people that many of the animals experience. They usually call me if they get a bad situation with an animal that won't trust anyone. It's more Toi than me doing the work but we make a great team.”

“I think I am beginning to understand you more. What were they like before you came to live here?”

“I don't know about before but when I first got here, they usually just met in the kitchen to divide up takeout and everyone went off to eat alone or in small groups. After I started cooking, I made it clear if they wanted to eat what I made, they had to eat together. Eventually, they slowly started to join me at meals and now I cook a real meal at least once a week. But wait until holidays, then I really get to cooking.”

Tamara pulled dishes from the hutch in the dining room and began to set the table while Loki helped. As he set the glasses at each place, he noticed that two extra places had been set. “Are you expecting company tonight?”

“Sometimes I get a feeling that I need to do something specific, so I do it. It may not always work out the way I think it will but it does work out.”

“Does this happen often? There are those who can foresee the future.”

Tamara continued to ready the table as she spoke. “Sometimes I might go months without it happening but other times it can happen several times in one week. It was one of these feelings that led to me taking Clint back to my place when I first found him.”

“What was your family like?”

“My dad was a firefighter, he used his gift to save people. He had an affinity for fire, he always knew how it was going to behave during a fire. More than once, the guys he worked with said he warned them away from a building before it flashed. My mom was a teacher, she had an amazing amount of patience. She taught high school science, and she volunteered the help the troubled kids with any subject. Her parents lived near us, Poppie was a woodworker and carpenter and my grandmother was a baker. She worked in a nursing home as a cook until she retired, then she opened her own local bakery. She always smelled like fresh bread and cookies. You know, if it wasn't for Steve, I wouldn't even exist.”

“I do not understand, and what did you mean by flashed?”

“Flash-over, it'd be easier to show you but basically, it's when an area becomes suddenly engulfed in fire. Another dangerous condition is called a backdraft. That's when all the oxygen has been used up and the fire is beginning to die but then a sudden increase in oxygen occurs, like opening a door. Both are very dangerous for anyone caught in a fire. JARVIS, remind me to watch Backdraft and Ladder 49 with Loki. I was going to follow my dad into the fire department but then he died and within less than 2 years I had no family left.”

“Did you live in one of the homes like we visited?”

“No, I was placed with a family, the worker said I was lucky to get a home so quickly. But I found out real quick why they wanted me. The dad snuck into my room one night just a few days after I got there. No one knew I'd been taking martial arts classes cause my parents didn't have to pay for them. He tried to force himself on me and broke my arm but I hurt him too. I ran away and went to Jake, he put a cast on my arm, then I hid at the dojo for a couple weeks. I wandered into the swamp and found a shack hidden from everyone. It needed work so I fixed it up and lived there, at least until I found Clint.”

“Why do people treat children in this manner here? In Asgard, children are considered a treasure. If a child is orphaned, there are families who can not have their own child who take them in. But we do not have children as often as you mortals do. And why did you say that if not for the Captain, you would not exist?”

“Do you know anything about the war Steve fought in before he was frozen?” When Loki shook his head 'no' Tamara continued. “Well, that was World War II and there was a man called Adolf Hitler. He believed that certain people were better than others simply because of how they looked and that some people should be killed because of their beliefs or heritage. Among the groups he wanted to destroy were the Rom, or gypsies as most people call them. My great-grandfather was a Rom and he joined the military to fight against what Hitler believed in, kinda like Steve did. He was captured and they found out he was Rom so he was to be shipped off to a concentration camp. But then they found out about his gift so he was instead sent to a camp where Hydra was experimenting on soldiers who had gifts. He was an empath, although it was a very small gift and Hydra wasn't happy with the results they got from him. They planned to execute him and some other prisoners but Steve and the Howling Commandos just happened to raid the base before that happened. My grandfather said his dad always told him that Captain America shot a Hydra soldier before he could carry out the order to execute him. So I always knew that without Captain America, my great-grandfather would not have survived, although he did lose an arm because of infection. I was also told that he insisted Captain America was not dead when he disappeared and that he would return when we needed him again.”

“Is that why you wanted to join the team, to repay him for saving your ancestor?”

Tamara didn't reply and Loki wondered if his guess was correct. Before he could say anything else, Tamara returned to the kitchen to remove the food from the oven. As she carried in the glass trays of meatloaf, she placed them on the table so that each person had easy access to their own pan. The trays of vegetables she placed in the center of the table. She folded towels into a couple of small bowls and placed the biscuits into the bowls, then covered them with a portion of the towel. Fearing he had upset her, Loki left the room to inform the others that supper was ready.

Tamara continued to finish setting the table, setting out drinks and condiments for the meal. She wasn't upset with Loki, just conflicted with herself. Was Loki right, was she only doing this as a way to repay Steve for saving her great-grandfather? As the others started to file in to eat, she noticed them glancing at the extra places she had set.

“Why the extra places? Is somebody expecting company?” Tony inquired as he sat down, just as Toi entered the room.

Toi came and rubbed against Tamara's leg. _'They come, the one who sneezes and one-eye, others too.'_

“I'll be back in a few minutes, you can start without me or wait, it doesn't matter.” Before anyone could respond, Tamara left the room and headed for the elevator with Toi behind her. She waited by the elevator but she didn't bother asking JARVIS who was coming up, she knew by the descriptions who Toi meant. However, as the elevator ascended, she began to feel an enormous sense of hate, so strong she could almost taste it. The emotion was overwhelming and she leaned against the wall to steady herself. Lately, she'd been picking up emotions on occasion from the others but never anything this strong from anyone she didn't know.

The elevator finally reached her and she waited for the doors to open. When they opened, she saw Director Fury and Agent Hill as she had expected from Toi's descriptions, along with a few other SHIELD agents, some of who were carrying boxes. She recognized the two lab techs who had been working with her on the plants but not the others agents. And it was the unknown agents that she could feel the hate rolling off of. Fighting back the urge to flee, she forced a smile. “Director, what can I do for you?”

“Your project has been discontinued, the security council decided that it had no value. Since you purchased the plants at your own expense, I informed them that the plants would be returned to you as they were not the property of SHIELD. Also, they decided your contract is to be terminated unless you agree to move to England to work in a lab under other supervision. I informed them that I felt sure you would decline their offer.”

“You're right, I like it here in New York and being my own boss. The agents can leave the boxes there, I don't allow anyone into my greenhouse.” The agents set the boxes down, some of them none too gently and these were the same ones that Tamara could feel the hate from. “If that's all, I'm kinda busy right now.”

“I do need to speak with you privately regarding your contract. Agent Hill has some papers you need to sign.” Director Fury turned and dismissed the other agents who returned to the elevator.

When the doors closed again, Tamara breathed a sigh of relief that the oppressing hate was lessening. “JARVIS, do not allow them access to any other floor, monitor all communication until they leave the building.”

“You want to explain that? We're not your enemy, even if you are harboring Loki.”

“Maybe you aren't Director, but you couldn't feel the hate that some of those agents felt. JARVIS, please have the bots move these boxes to a secure room and lock it. I'll look them over later; if you will come with me, we can discuss this more during dinner.”


	20. Chapter 20

When Tamara turned around she was surprised to see that Toi had changed into her Asgardian form of a war cat and she realized that Toi must have picked up on her distress. She knelt by Toi and stroked her gently, burying her face in the soft fur as she tried to steady herself and calm both her and Toi. Neither Director Fury nor Agent Hill said anything, however, when she prepared to stand back up she noticed Loki standing in the doorway watching them carefully.

“Are you OK Tamara? I could feel your distress.”

“I'm fine now, I'll explain later.”

“Thor knows as well but I would not leave you vulnerable.”

Tamara gave Loki a weak smile that didn't quite seem right and he knew that something must be truly bothering her. However, he had also grown to recognize that like him, Tamara kept much about herself hidden from others and it was not his place to reveal her problems unless she was in danger. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod, then turned and went to his place at the table.

Tamara returned her attention to Agent Hill and Director Fury. “If you'll follow me, I set places for you at the table.”

Without waiting for a response, Tamara turned and walked back towards the dining room with a now cat sized Toi by her side. She took her seat and was pleased to see that both Agent Hill and Director Fury had followed her in. The gentle hum of conversation stopped as Director Fury took a seat.

“We can discuss things but if you want to talk to me, you will do it over a meal. Everyone else knows my dinner rules so I'll explain it for the two of you, you have to taste what I cook. I don't know what you get to eat there on the helicarrier but if you eat from the cafeteria, then you definitely need real food. I made meatloaf, we have homemade cheese and garlic biscuits, copper pennies and kershaw, along with the obvious green beans and baked potatoes. There's enough variety to ensure a good meal.”

Tamara began to prepare her own plate and passed the vegetables around the table, making sure that everyone got at least a small portion of everything. Before beginning to eat, she placed small portions of everything on a plate for Toi and set it before her at the small table where she perched. Everyone was quiet for a minute as they began to eat and Tamara was pleased to see that the carrot and squash dishes had gone over so well. She waited for someone else to inquire as to why Director Fury was present and was pleased when Loki was bold enough to broach the subject.

“Why have you come here tonight? I do not think Tamara would invite you to dine with us if you were here to imprison me.”

“The Security Council is not pleased you are here, nor that the Avengers defied them. I assured them that everyone passed their testing in medical so we had no reason to detain anyone. However, they decided to terminate Tamara's contract quoting it as a waste of resources. They did not know all of what her contract entailed, some of that was strictly off the record.”

“So they don't know about her other job?”

“No, Agent Barton, I never felt it necessary to put that position into writing. But I would like Agent Hill to know what that other position entails, that's why I brought her with me tonight.”

“That's fine with me, but I have a question myself. How well do you know the agents you brought with you tonight?”

“With the exception of the two who were helping you in the labs, they've all been agents for several years and have excellent records. Why did you have JARVIS monitor them?”

“Sir, I don't know how you run SHIELD but several of those agents had very strong feelings against me. I know when I came to the base, it was no secret that I had mutant healing abilities. My only guess is that is why they don't like me.”

“Tam, Tasha and I saw you on base. You tried to avoid calling attention to yourself. What makes you think they don't like you?”

“Things have been getting a little weird for me the past week or so, ever since we had Drífa here. It's why I've been trying to stay close to the tower instead of spending most of the day out like usual.”

“Are you OK Tamara, why didn't you come to me?”

“It's nothing to be concerned about Jake, just..lately I've been able to pick up intense emotions in public.”

“You still should have come to me. Charles said you showed the potential for other abilities but they weren't developed. He thought maybe you would pass them on to any children you might have someday. The same shielding techniques you learned before should help with blocking emotions.”

“It does, but I still felt their hate and it was directed at me. Toi felt it too, that's why she changed, and Loki knew as well.”

“I must confess I only knew because of a tracking spell I have placed on you. It allows me to find you if you experience distress. Odin has permitted me this spell as he feels it will only benefit you.”

“Anyway, you wanted to let Agent Hill know about the stuff I did that wasn't on the records, right?”

Agent Hill had stopped eating and was listening quietly as the others talked but inside her mind was working overtime as she tried to determine what secret Tamara could be hiding. “After this discussion, I believe I know what Director Fury was hiding. When I pulled the paperwork for the Avengers recently, I noticed there was nothing in the file pertaining to the newest member. That's you, isn't it?”

“It is, I came to SHIELD strictly so I could help the team. We all know that SHIELD has excellent medical facilities but it isn't always enough. And no offense to doctors but I can heal in a way they can never match. I would ask that you keep my identity a secret. There are only a couple of people outside this room who know the identity of Sage and I'd prefer to keep it that way.”

“If the director has a reason to keep it concealed, then it's not my place to question his decisions.”

“Thank you.”

After that discussion, talk again revolved around the more mundane activities. Steve talked about a couple of older teens he had met at the group home who were interested in pursuing art as a career. Tony offered to give them jobs and partial scholarships to help them pursue those goals. Steve understood, and would explain to the teens, that SI would give them entry level jobs but that the company would also work around their class schedules and would help pay tuition for them to take classes such as graphic design.

Bruce told everyone about an email he had received from a shelter concerning Molly, an abused dog he had helped rehabilitate. The dog had recently gone up for adoption and had been at an adoption fair with several other dogs. A family had been there looking for a companion for the family when Molly began to pitch a fit and try to get loose to go to the family. She had shown more interest in their 10-year-old son than the adults. The parents had allowed him to sit on the ground and Molly had curled up with him and refused to leave his side. When the volunteer tried to remove her, Molly pulled free and went right back to the boy, who had a seizure just a couple of minutes later. Molly refused to leave his side and comforted him through it and that was enough to convince everyone that Molly belonged with the family so she was adopted. The shelter had kept in touch with the family and it turned out that Molly was able to sense when the boy was about to have a seizure. There was no doubt that she had found a forever home where she would be loved.

When dinner was over, Tasha and Clint got to work washing dishes while everyone else finished putting the leftovers away. Director Fury and Agent Hill spoke briefly with Steve and Tony before leaving. Tamara went out on the deck to relax, knowing Jake would follow her and try to find out more about what she was feeling. But he must have known from how quiet she had been through dinner that she just wasn't ready to talk about it yet.

Tamara stayed on the deck in the chill October air and the others left her in peace. After some time, she went back inside and found Loki watching a movie with the others. When she paused in the doorway, it only took a few seconds before Loki looked her way. Once she was sure he had seen her, she went to her room to change for a night run. As she exited her room and headed for the elevator she saw Tony going into the kitchen. She paused to see if he would stop her but he just nodded when he saw Loki join her. As the elevator closed behind them, Tony asked JARVIS to monitor Tamara.


	21. Chapter 21

Tamara and Loki took the elevator to the ground floor and exited the tower. Tamara didn't bother looking to see if Loki was following, she simply had to trust him. As she ran at an easy lope through the streets, she thought about what she might say to Daredevil and how she could convince him that he could trust the others. She also realized that unlike the others, Loki did not have one of tracking devices Tony had created and she resolved to speak to Loki and see if he would agree to wear one. She worried that the World Security Council might try to have him taken hostage and this way, they could find him more quickly.

As she approached the school where she had first met Daredevil, she paused to allow Loki time to relax. It was full dark by now and the street light cast glows that didn't completely cover the street. Motioning to Loki to follow her, Tamara proceeded down the street, staying close to the shadows whenever possible. She reached the tree she used as a perch when leaving things for the runaways and stopped. “Loki, I want you to wait here for me. Don't worry, I won't be out of your sight. But I want your word you won't try to eavesdrop. I'm hoping to meet someone but I'm not positive I have the right person. We'll go to the hospital after we leave here.”

Loki squeezed her shoulder gently to acknowledge her request and Tamara proceeded across the darkened street alone. She had checked the time before leaving the tower so she had a pretty good idea of the time and she knew it was close to the time she had asked to meet with the man she believed to be Daredevil. Usually, she was able to relax and wait calmly but this wasn't a mission and even if she were right, that didn't mean he would be trusting enough to show up. As was her habit when she was stressed, she tried to focus on the sounds around her to pick out those which did not belong. She had taken to carrying one of the collapsible staffs given to her by Remy whenever she ventured out at night. When she heard a slight noise away from the tree where Loki waited, she silently withdrew the staff and held it lightly in her hand, ready to extend it in mid-swing if necessary. She could see Loki tense where he waited so she silently signaled him to wait.

Her patience and caution were rewarded when a figured in red stepped briefly into a lighter shadow.

“I wasn't sure you would come but I'm glad you did.”

“What made you decide you knew my identity?”

“I'm a mutant, but that's not how I knew. I've been changed recently by events that occurred in my life. One of those changes has allowed me to recognize people better. I've run into you several times out on the streets and recently I saw you on TV. I was only about 50% sure I had figured out your identity but when you delivered that message through Spider-man, I decided to take a chance. When I got to your office, I knew that I was close.”

“How?”

“The way you smell, it's kinda hard to explain but my partner is not of this realm. She is an Asgardian cat and we are bonded; we can communicate telepathically and I can see through her eyes and use her senses. She has been with me several times when I've seen you on the streets.”

“What do you want?”

“Merely to offer my help, and that of the Avengers. I don't know if you are aware of what happened to Spider-man recently but he was injured trying to help two young mutants. The wounds were serious enough he would not have been able to hide them from anyone. I healed him partially and he stayed at the tower with us. He has agreed to come to me if he is injured and the Avengers offered him a place to train and help with developing and improving his equipment and suit. We have a doctor who lives there, he will provide any medical care needed and if he can't handle it, we have a way to reach mutant doctors who can.”

“Why should I trust you? My identity is concealed for a reason.”

“I know and beyond myself, no one else knows your identity. I just wanted to offer you a communications device; it's dormant unless you turn it on. If you ever need help or get injured and need medical care, you can activate it by pressing the button. JARVIS will scan the area and someone will arrive to help you. It also has a small microphone so you can also state what you need.”

“How can I trust the government isn't using you to find people like me?”

“You have to trust your own instincts on that matter. But I would like to introduce you to someone, someone who has every right to hide from the authorities.” Tamara motioned to Loki and he walked quietly over to join her, his eyes never leaving the strange man clothed in red. “I'm sure you remember the Chitauri invasion? Well, it was unfortunately led by Thor's brother, Loki. This is Loki and it was not by choice he led them here. He was tortured for a very long time and the torture only lessened when he agreed to lead the Chitauri here to recover the tesseract.”

Daredevil studied the young woman standing before him. He could hear the calm even beat of her heart from where he stood. He could tell from the way she spoke that she was being honest with him but he wasn't sure if he could trust the being who stood by her side. He was quite for only a minute before he made a decision. “If you want me to trust you, then you would have no problem with me running a background check on you.”

“I don't like to have people poking into my background, there are things about my past that'd I'd rather stay in the past. What exactly are you looking for; you trying to find out why I'm doing this or more about my mutation?”

“You misunderstand, I'm only trying to ascertain what government organizations you may be involved with.”

“Since my only contract was terminated earlier today, none. I am involved with the Avengers who are not officially a part of any government organization. I'll deliver the information you need to your office. Now, I hate to leave abruptly but I have someone to check on myself tonight and I don't want to worry the others by being out late. Let's go Loki, we'll have to take the subway to Harlem.”

Before Daredevil could respond, Tamara turned and took off at a quick lope, surprising Loki who quickly followed. Daredevil was left behind, feeling slightly guilty for the pain and hurt he could hear in the young woman's voice as she had responded to him. As the footsteps of Tamara and Loki faded away in the distance, Daredevil left the shadows of the school to patrol the streets.

Tamara led Loki back towards the tower to a subway stop. He hadn't traveled on the subway yet so he watched as Tamara paid their fare and led them to the 2 train. “We'll stay on here to 135th street, then we'll walk from there.” Loki just nodded and focused on the spell of invisibility he would need to cast over both of them. He had lied to Tamara when he told her he could only cast the spell to cover an area close to him. The truth was, he could cast the spell over her and allow her to proceed alone but he did not feel right leaving her unprotected.

It was a short trip to their stop and Tamara led him off the subway and onto the streets. Loki had decided he detested the subway, being closed underground without the benefit of the sky reminded him too much of some of the tortures he had endured in the past. Finally, Tamara led him across a street and stopped in front of a tall building. “How long can you hold the spell?”

“Several minutes but I have a couple of spells prepared. I have a spell that will get us inside without notice and once we reach the child, I will cast the invisibility spell.”

“OK, what you need me to do?”

“You must not let go of my hand, physical contact is required for this spell to encompass you as well. We must also maintain silence.” Tamara nodded as Loki took her hand. He said something she couldn't translate quickly then motioned for her to proceed. Tamara led them across the street and they waited until the automatic doors opened for someone to exit the building. Before the doors could close, Tamara and Loki slipped inside. She led him over to a display board where the patient floor information was displayed. Locating the floor information for the burn ward, she led him down the halls to a set of stairs and then led them inside. The burn ward was several flights up and they climbed in complete silence.

When they finally reached the floor for the burn ward, Tamara eased the door open and they slipped into the hallway. She noticed that the ward had glass cubicles instead of standard rooms on one side and fully enclosed rooms on the other side. Approaching the desk, she looked to see if she could locate the room Maria was in. She found that Maria was in one of the cubicles and she quietly led Loki down to the doors. When they reached the doors, Loki tugged slightly at Tamara's hand to stop her from entering the room. He cast the second spell and released her hand, then followed her into the large room. The room was filled with machines, most of which Loki did not recognize but it seemed that Tamara did. She had a small notebook and she jotted down information as she looked over the various machines before approaching the small figure lying in the bed.

The child was swathed in bandages that prevented Loki from seeing anything beyond the tubes connecting them to various machines. Tamara reached a hand out and gently stroked the child's face but the child never woke. Tamara left one hand resting on the child's forehead and laid the other on her chest. Loki was not surprised to see her hands begin to glow softly nor to hear her humming. He chose not to interfere, at least until he saw Tamara begin to sway. Fearing she had used too much energy healing the child, Loki picked her up before she collapsed and teleported them back to the tower.

He appeared on the deck where he had spoken with Tamara just a few hours earlier and started towards the door but before he reached it, Thor was pushing it open.

“What has happened?”

“She performed a healing on a child while we were out.”

“She is not injured?”

“No, I believe she merely needs rest but perhaps you should ask Jake to check in on her. I will take her to her room.”

Thor held the door as Loki walked past carrying Tamara. Loki took her to her room and laid her on the bed, removing her shoes afterward. He had just draped a light blanket over her when the door opened to reveal Jake.

“You told Thor she healed a child?”

“Yes, I did not know what she intended when she laid her hands on the child.”

Jake didn't bother to question Loki further since JARVIS was able to monitor Tamara and he could easily check her blood sugar. When he checked her blood sugar he was surprised to find it almost normal. Without knowing more about what happened, he had to assume she was just overly tired. He turned to question Loki further but found he had slipped from the room. Loki had started for his room, then changed his mind and headed back out to the deck where he had appeared just a few minutes earlier. He found Thor on the deck in the cool evening air as well and started to return inside.

“Loki, wait..”

“Yes”

“Why did Tamara ask you to go with her tonight? Does it have anything to do with you bringing her back?”

“The child was in one of the medical facilities here, Tamara wished to see the child without anyone's knowledge. Odin permitted me to cast an invisibility spell over us so she would not be detected.”

“Why both of you? I know you can cast a spell over another person just as easily.”

“I lied to her, I told her I would need to remain close to her for the spell to function. I did not want her to go alone and decided that was the best way to convince her to allow me to accompany her.”

Thor turned to go inside but paused at the sound of wings in the air. He looked behind him to see Odin's ravens, Huginn and Muninn perched on the railing. The ravens were quiet and both Thor and Loki could see they each carried a message. It was unlike Odin to send duplicate messages so they both approached the ravens. Loki reached the ravens first and was not surprised when one moved to approach him. The raven allowed Loki to remove the message from around the left leg before returning to the railing. Thor approached the other raven and removed the message it carried, then both he and Loki watched as the ravens took flight.

Loki opened the message he held. _'My son, I am pleased with your actions these last few days. You made the right choice in helping the child and in returning her to her family. Your actions in regards to Tamara this day are also favorable. Given the outcome of her visit, I have decided that your lie to her was meant only to benefit her.'_

Thor opened his message and read it quietly, then passed it over to Loki. _'Ambassadors from the other realms are requesting permission to visit and speak with Loki themselves. They have been informed that you both have duties requiring you to stay in Midgard but they cannot be stalled forever. You will both be informed when your presence is again required here in Asgard.'_

“So both of us shall be questioned, what can the ambassadors hope to gain?”

“Perhaps they wish to discover for themselves if I have corrupted you, Thor.”

Thor didn't respond but instead went back inside the tower to join the others. Even though Loki had been told he was free to join them, he still felt like an outsider and rarely spent time with the others unless Tamara was around as well. He knew they valued Thor as a companion and at times, he felt as he did when they were children, merely tolerated because he was Thor's brother. He gazed upward, staring at the stars, wondering what creatures the Midgardians saw in them. He finally made his way back inside to his rooms where he studied his spell books and attempted to locate a place to purchase the components he would need to turn items into magical reservoirs. Finally, early in the morning hours, he was satisfied with his progress so he retired for the night.


	22. Chapter 22

Tamara slept a little later than usual the next morning and missed her run with Clint and Steve. When she finally made her way into the kitchen, she was surprised to discover how late it was when she encountered Tony just getting his own breakfast. He never said a word to her and she realized he was still half asleep himself, waiting for his coffee to brew. Tamara had never developed a taste for coffee so she just grabbed some fruit and juice and made her way to the elevator, munching as she went. She took the elevator down to the gym and discovered that everyone else was already busy but Loki sat in one corner watching them. Tamara went to an empty corner and began to stretch before moving into a tai chi routine. Loki left the bench he was seated on and came to sit near her.

“What is this you are doing?”

“It's called tai chi. It started out as a form of martial arts but many people practice it today just as an exercise regimen. I don't use it to fight but it's a good way to get focused and relaxed.”

“It looks interesting. What else do you do?”

“For exercise? Well, I use the weight machines, I do a little boxing, I know a little in a variety of martial arts styles. But I think I prefer the gymnastics and dance over everything, I feel free when I dance.”

Once Tamara was stretched, she moved on to the weight machines to work out. By the time she was done, Tasha and Steve had finished sparring. Tasha waved Tamara over and she joined Tasha in the ring for more lessons in self-defense. When she first started training with the team, they were pleased with her basic knowledge of self-defense but over the past several months, Tasha had been teaching her more martial arts while Steve worked with her on boxing. After a long workout, Tasha finally allowed her to stop and relax for a water break. Tamara was allowed 30 minutes to rest and rehydrate before it was time for her to spar with Steve.

After her session with Steve she was secretly pleased to see that Clint was nowhere in sight which meant she got a break in training today. When one of them had to be gone, Tamara was allowed to choose any activity to substitute for the missing training and she usually chose gymnastics. Practice today was cut short by Jake who wanted to check her over after the episode of the previous night. He found nothing out of the ordinary in the tests he ran but he insisted on details. Tamara confessed the child was in the hospital and explained why she had wanted to visit the girl. Jake offered to help with the fund-raising but suggested she talk to Tony and Pepper as well.

Tamara went back upstairs looking for Tony when she didn't find him in the lab or the workshop and found him in the kitchen along with Bruce and Steve.

“Tony, are you busy?”

“Not really, Bruce and I are waiting for some tests to finish running. What's up?”

“I wanted to talk to you about helping a little girl and her family. She was recently burned in a fire and is in serious condition. They won't even let her brother in to see her. The family doesn't have good medical coverage and they lost everything. Some friends of mine are planning a fundraiser for them and I was wondering if you have any ideas.”

“Depends, what exactly are you looking for? I mean, the foundation can make a donation if that's all you need. What info do you have on the family?”

“JARVIS, send the data to Tony please.”

Tony glanced down at the tablet in front of him and began scrolling through the files. “J, the usual checks please. Give me a few hours to go over this. I'll have J let you know when I'm done.”

Loki and Thor came into the kitchen looking for Tamara.

“I have located a couple of places I believe will sell me the items I require but it would be best if you accompanied me. Thor has offered to come along as well.”

“Sure, let me grab a coat. Are we going far?”

“I'm not sure, the place feels like it is near but not very close, no more than a couple of miles.”

Tamara left to grab a coat and joined Loki and Thor at the elevator, Toi perched on her shoulder. The three took the elevator down to the ground and exited the building. Loki headed southeast on Broadway with no hesitation as Thor and Tamara followed. After several blocks, he stopped in Times Square, allowing Tamara time to let Toi down for a few minutes. He closed his eyes and moved around, turning different directions before continuing down Broadway. When they reached Herald Square, Thor was able to recognize the Empire State Building from the Chitauri attack but Loki moved on before he could show him the building. When they reached Madison Square Park, Loki led them into the park for a rest, concerned about Tamara after she had used her ability the previous night. He could feel the magic tugging at him but he knew it could wait. All it had taken was a glance at Tamara by Loki for Thor to understand why they had stopped. Thor found a food vendor and purchased snacks for them, knowing it was the best way to get Tamara to eat without telling her why they had stopped.

After allowing enough time for them to eat, Loki again reached out to the magic and found the strongest source, then he led them back out of the park. He didn't return to Broadway this time, instead, he turned onto Fifth Avenue. They walked several more blocks and Tamara was beginning to wonder why Loki didn't just show her on a map so they could have taken a bus or the subway or even her Jeep to get wherever they were going. When they stopped again, she decided it was time to ask him. “Loki, do you know where we're going? We could have gotten there more quickly by bus or something.”

“It is not that simple, I am tracking the magic. I must follow it back to the source since I do not know where it originates.”

“Tracking it, you mean you're following some kind of magic trail? Lead on, but I'm not walking back. We can take a bus or the subway or something.”

Loki merely nodded but his attention was on the strength of the magic, he knew they were getting close. As they reached the end of the street, Loki could feel the presence of a portal nearby. He could see a large arch at the end of the street and he stopped, feeling around with his magic. Satisfied that the magic ended at the arch, he turned to Thor and Tamara who waited patiently.

“Our path lies through that arch. Tamara, you must hold tight to my hand, hold Toi close to you, I do not wish us to be separated. Thor, you can use the magic of Mjölnir to open the portal.”

Thor just nodded and placed a hand on Mjölnir where it rested in his belt. Tamara took Loki's hand and together the two stepped closer to the arch. Thor stepped closer as well but before he stepped into the archway, he reached a hand back to Loki. Loki hesitated only a second before taking Thor's hand, then he followed Thor into the arch. There were a few seconds of disorientation for Tamara but she soon recognized the feel of a solid surface under her feet. Wherever they were, it was pitch black until the area was flooded with light. Tamara clenched her eyes shut against the light, clinging to Loki's hand as she tried to orient herself.

A strange voice asked, “Who are you, how did you find this place?”

“I am Thor, this is my brother Loki and a mortal friend, Tamara. My brother is a mage and he guided us here.”

“Why did you come?” the voice asked.

It was Loki who responded this time. “I seek a place to purchase spell components. I need to create several power items for use by this mortal.”

The three could hear a door open but the light was still too bright to allow them to see anything. The light abruptly disappeared, leaving them in total darkness again. Tamara was uncomfortable in this darkness so she focused on Toi and allowed her vision to adjust so that she was seeing through Toi's eyes instead of her own. Even so, she could only make out darker figures in the room that she recognized as Thor and Loki.

“Loki, can you get us out of here?”

“Relax, Tamara, no harm shall come to you, you have my word. The ones who monitor this portal must be sending for whoever built it. The one who questioned us did not have a strong enough magic force to create a portal. I do not believe we shall be waiting long.”

It seemed to take forever before the light returned, although it was much dimmer and Tamara could see both Loki and Thor waiting patiently. When she glanced at her watch, she was surprised to see that it appeared frozen. After a few minutes, a man's voice could be heard outside though Tamara couldn't understand what he was saying. A door opened in one wall and an older man stepped through. “Why have you come here?”

It was Loki who responded. “We come on behalf of this mortal. She is a healer but it requires her own life force to heal. I wish to create power items that she can store her healing power within for emergency use.”

“Let them speak for themselves.”

“I am Thor, Prince of Asgard; I chose to come with my brother to protect him and the mortal. I feared he would be attacked without being given a chance to explain himself.”

“And the girl?”

“My name is Tamara, as Loki said, I'm a healer. I don't know if it's mutation or magic but Loki discovered that I can heal others more easily when I use music. He believes my healing is a mix of Earth magic and mutation.”

“Why do you seek healing items?”

Tamara had a feeling she was being tested. “I have friends who are frequently in danger of serious injury. Avoiding this risk is not possible, it could be considered their job, I guess. My abilities have been needed, not just for them, but for civilians. If I can store my healing energy, then it is less likely I will become a liability if I am needed to heal a major wound. Right now, healing causes my blood sugar to drop. The one time I did a major healing on one of my friends, I ended up unconscious and could have slipped into a diabetic coma if they hadn't known what to do for me. I can't risk that happening in battle.”

“Explain, are you a soldier?”

“No, my friends I was speaking of are the Avengers. I joined the team as a medic, they try to keep me out of battle but I go where I am needed. I have healed Loki in the past as well but he was injured trying to get help to me, so I felt it was only right.”

“Are you all willing to submit to a magical check? I have ways to determine the truth of your words and your intentions.”

Loki stepped forward, “I am the one most would doubt, I will submit to your check. But I want your word that no harm shall come to Tamara.”

The man nodded and held out a pendant that was hanging around his neck. A bright yellow light appeared to flow from the pendant to envelop Loki. After a few minutes, the light receded but did not disappear. The man looked at Thor who simply nodded and then he was also enveloped in the yellow light. Tamara waited for the light to surround her but to her surprise it did not. The man turned to leave the room and the door remained open behind him. Tamara followed Loki and Thor out into what appeared to be a small bookstore. The man led them through the store into a small reading room in the back where they found several chairs waiting.


	23. Chapter 23

“Allow me to briefly introduce myself, my name is Stephen Strange. Friends of mine run this bookshop and allow it to serve as a portal for those wishing to contact me; I allow very few persons to enter my home. Now child, will you allow me to examine you magically? It will not be the same as it was with these two gentlemen. Instead, I will be looking to determine what magic you may have within you and how strong it is.”

“Sure, it won't hurt will it?”

“No, it may feel unusual but it will not hurt.” He had Tamara sit in a chair and he placed a crystal in her hands. “Now, just concentrate on the crystal, focus all your attention on it.” He held an identical crystal in his hands and soon it began to glow with a soft light. As he held the crystal, the light began to fluctuate, changing colors until it settled down to a deep teal color.

“Although I do not doubt the sincerity of your desires, I will not provide you the spell components you seek.” Before Loki could respond, Stephen held up a hand. “However, bring me the items you wish to imbue with healing energy and I shall cast the necessary spells upon them. Bring me something you can continue to use and I will spell them so that they may be reused as needed. I will permit the girl to enter my home but no one else. If you wish to proceed, you must trust me, for after today, no one within this city will sell you anything without my approval.”

“Do we have your word that Tamara will come to no harm?”

“You do, and I will try to teach her how to reach the magic within her, although she has very little. I will also try to teach her how to capture the life force of plants when they are harvested. This will allow her to recharge the items with less stress on her own life force.”

“OK, so what should I bring? I mean, I have no idea what would make a good object to hold magic.”

“Most power items are pieces of jewelry but for your needs, I would recommend they be made of natural items rather than metal.”

“What about a ring carved of wood? I can carve and polish wood to make into rings but making them fit everyone might be a problem.”

Loki had an answer to that problem. “As long as they are not blocked to other magic, I can add an accommodation spell and an invisibility spell, much like the rings Odin gave everyone.”

“I can leave them open to further enchantment, if she so desires. And if possible, I will teach her the spell to create these healing items, but I cannot guarantee she will be able to use the spell. I would also recommend you create more than you need right now, this way if one is used, you will have a spare while you recharge the used item.” Stephen walked to a counter behind them and reached under, pulling out a small pendant on a silver chain. “Keep this with you until you return here, it must always stay with you. If it ever leaves your possession, even for a few seconds, it will return here and you will not be allowed to visit my home. It will also teleport you here if a magic user attempts to take control of you. There are those in this world who seek out untrained individuals with the potential for magic and drain them, killing them in the process.”

Tamara took the small pendant and draped it over her head, tucking it down inside her shirt. “It will take me a few days to make the rings, I'll need to find suitable wood first.”

“Before you leave, the owners of the shop will show you the selections of wood that they have here. I believe they have some cedar, rowan, and ash that are not suitable for wands or staffs that you could carve.”

“Thanks, I'll return as soon as I have the rings ready. How much will I owe you for the rings and the lessons?”

“There is no charge, my position requires that I help those who are also protecting this plane. I am too busy with the magical defense to handle ordinary non-magical foes.”

Before Tamara could think of anything else she might need to know, Stephen had vanished. She turned to leave the room and found a young woman waiting for her. The woman motioned with one hand for Tamara to follow her and led them back towards the front of the store. An older man waited there with a wooden case. He opened the case and which contained several wooden branches in a variety of sizes and lengths. Neither person said a word as they waited for Tamara to look through the box. Tamara looked at several pieces before becoming frustrated. She huffed, then closed her eyes and allowed her hand to rest inside the box. After a few seconds, she began to move the branches around, this time she pulled out two branches that were intertwined. The man closed the box as the girl ushered them to the front door.

When they stepped outside the bookstore, Tamara was relieved to see that they were just a few blocks from the tower so she guided them back home. It was well after lunch time when they returned and they headed for the kitchen while Tamara detoured to her room to put away the branches. Thor and Tamara made sandwiches while Loki fed Toi and got out drinks. After they were done eating, Tamara went to her room and retrieved the wood, along with a slender knife and headed up to the roof. She was seated on the edge of the roof, her feet dangling over the side as she carved when Jake found her there.

“Are you feeling any better?”

“I told you earlier, I'm recovered from last night, I'm fine, really.”

“And how's it going with emotions? Still picking them up from random people?”

“I think I managed to get most people blocked, but I still pick them up from everyone else here, except you. You're like a blank wall, even when you seem to be happy.”

“Tamara, do you remember that night in the media room, what I said about myself? I'm here because my father's people consider me defective. It wasn't uncommon for his people to mate with Earth humans but the children sometimes had problems that made them less than desirable. My father's people are very emotional and empathetic, they seldom speak, instead they broadcast their emotions to communicate with each other. They can overlook many things but those of us children who are either lacking in emotions or unable to control their emotions; well, we can't live in that society. Instead we are raised here on Earth and trained to be guardians and watchers and guides. They considered children like me to be an informal agreement with the people of Earth. My mentor explained to me that those of us without proper emotions are perfect for the task we are trained for. We can make the right decisions because we lack emotions to influence our decisions.”

“But I've seen you laugh at jokes, smiling and happy, you even cried with me when I lost my family.”

“That's part of our training I'm afraid. Now that the technology exists, several of us have undergone an EEG and what we have discovered is that our limbic node in the brain doesn't function properly. We simply can't process emotions the way humans do so we learn to fake it. Those of us who are half-bloods can't breed with normal humans either, only with our other half.”

“So you'll never get to have kids or a family?”

“Now what makes you think that? Not the way most humans do but look at us, I consider you family. We are permitted to raise orphans from here and we can marry. I've been married before in fact, back in the 1600's. She was a widow and she needed a man around while I was simply tired of living alone. She knew I could never give her children but we took in two orphans and raised them as our own. She died after the boys were grown; I told the boys I was going hunting and I just vanished from their lives, although another one of us moved into the area.”

“Is it hard for you to hide, I mean there's so much technology nowadays.”

“Ah, but technology cannot keep up with magic. When it comes time for us to “die” we begin to look for a suitable replacement. What we used to do is change forms with a young person that is dying and beyond help. We preferred one who had very few attachments so that we could continue our jobs with as little disruption as possible. The youth got a painless death and we got to continue our work. Although that isn't always possible nowadays so some of us are dedicated to the creation of new identities, complete with real birth certificates and school records. We own very little ourselves and our mentors see to it that we have anything we need; whether it be tools or more education or even just clothes.”

“Why are you telling me this? And doesn't it bother you to depend on someone else to provide what you need?”

“Because if I disappear, I don't want you to be afraid if a strange person comes to you claiming to be my replacement. There are several thousand of us here and we each have our own charges; you are now my primary charge, the others have all been reassigned. As for depending on the mentors, it doesn't bother me at all. I can have anything I desire because they acknowledge that we lead a life of service.”

“What, why?”

“Because you are a healer; right now we are concerned with trying to help the emerging mutant variant of humans survive. There are many mutants who can heal themselves but not many who can heal others, so each of you has a watcher, like me. Usually, we continue to watch over multiple charges but since you were seriously injured, my sole charge is now you; although I still follow my secondary orders, which are to help any emerging mutant into a safe place.”

“That's why you always tried to help runaways in Miami.”

“Yes, look, I know this is a lot to take in and I've wanted to tell you since I got here, but I had to get permission first. Don't go telling the others, I just want you to understand if I disappear and someone strange shows up claiming to know you.”

“You aren't leaving are you?”

“I don't plan on it but as you have learned, we can't predict what will happen to us. Now, JARVIS said you were up here carving.”

“Yeah, Loki and I have been spending time discussing my healing and he doesn't think I can use the Asgardian healing spells, but he does think that we might be able to create items to hold healing energy for emergency use.”

“It might work; I don't know of any other healer who has tried this but then again, none of them have befriended a mage. I'll let you get back to work, I'm sure JARVIS is wondering what we are discussing. But he understood I had things I needed to discuss privately with you.”

Jake left the roof and Tamara continued to carve, turning the branches into small discs of wood. When she grew restless, she gathered all her supplies and stowed them in a small bag, then returned the bag to her room. Glancing at her watch, she noticed it was almost time for dinner. “JARVIS, any idea what Tony plans to order tonight?”

“I believe he plans to order Chinese and Thai. Do you have a preference?”

“Chinese for me, the usual large but make it a double sesame and a single of the sweet and sour. Large plain rice and lots of duck sauce, please. I need a few more packs of mustard too, I'm almost out.”

“I'll add your requests to the list. Dinner should arrive in about one hour, we are still waiting for Clint and Tasha to place their orders.”

“Thanks, I think I'll go for a swim then, call me in forty-five so I can get changed, please.”

Tamara made her way down to the pool level and changed into one of the suits that Tony had provided for her. Slipping into the water, she began to swim with long strokes from one end to the other of the large pool. It didn't seem like it was forty-five minutes later when JARVIS announced it was time to return upstairs for dinner. Tamara slipped from the pool and stripped in the locker room, then showered before slipping into a comfortable pair of shorts and a loose shirt. She tossed her wet clothes into the laundry chute before making her way to the stairs. She jogged up the four flights to the main floor and found she had arrived just in time to claim her food.

Loki had been unsure of what the different foods were so he had asked JARVIS to order for him, not wanting the others to know he had never had these strange foods before. He watched as everyone had grabbed various containers until only a few were left. He made himself busy getting out drinks so that no one would notice he did not know which foods were his. When Tamara came up the steps, most of the containers were gone. She took a small stack of containers and placed them on a tray, along with a large glass of tea. Loki also grabbed a tray and placed a couple of containers on it, without looking at the contents. He followed Tamara into the media room where everyone had gathered for supper and a movie.

Loki had not had a chance to pick a movie so everyone had decided he should get a chance to pick a movie.

"Hey Lokes, you get to chose the movie tonight."

"Me, but I do not know what a good movie would be. I have only seen the ones I have watched with all of you."

"J, do you have that list we made for Loki? Post it to the screen, please. OK Lokes, pick one."

Loki studied the screen but he had no idea what most of these movies were and only a few gave any hint to the subject. Down at the bottom, he saw two movies that he at least knew a little about. "JARVIS, either of the last two please."

Tony had added another large recliner for Loki and he sank down into it, piling his food on a table conveniently placed beside the recliner. Tamara put her food on the table beside the love-seat she usually shared with Steve and waited as Toi climbed up in her lap.

JARVIS lowered the lights slightly and started the movie. The movie began with just a dark background and opening credits but no title. When the movie itself began with a flashlight shining on fire equipment, Tamara had her head down eating but she recognized the sounds of little boy voices. She raised her head as the sound of an old-fashioned fire alarm rang out from the TV. By now the others were curious and watched as a little boy was lifted into a fire truck by his father. Steve recognized the movie from shortly after Tamara had nearly died and was taken to Asgard where she had met Loki. He worried she would be upset by the movie but she seemed to be enjoying herself so he relaxed and began to enjoy the movie and his Chinese. As the movie progressed, they watched as Brian, now grown; started work as a firefighter with a friend. Steve glanced towards Tamara when one of the firemen was severely burned and Brian asked the arson officer to help him get the guy who hurt his friend.

The movie progressed further with Brian and the arson inspector studying fires, trying to catch the arsonist with no luck. Then the inspector was injured and Brian had a run in with the arsonist, leaving a burn on the arsonist's shoulder. Then came the scenes that Steve remembered, the two brothers in a huge fire and then the attack by another firemen. Everyone was quiet as they watched the two firemen fight each other until they fell into the flames. They stayed quiet through the rest of the movie as the older brother was carried out to an ambulance where he died. As the movie ended with the funeral scene, Steve glanced at Tamara again, half expecting to see her crying. She wasn't although she also wasn't really watching the movie now, instead she was watching the reactions of the others as they watched it. After the funeral scene ended, Tamara got up and left the room, taking her trash with her. When Loki went to the kitchen to dispose of his trash, he was disappointed that he didn't find Tamara there but he simply went and rejoined the others. Tony was heading back to the labs with Bruce and Pepper had an early day planned at SI so they were gone from the media room. Tasha and Clint disappeared soon after as well, leaving only Loki, Thor and Steve in the room.

"JARVIS, any movie off the list everyone made for us, something a bit happier than the last movie, a comedy maybe."

"I can show you one that Tamara added to the list."

"That'd be great, thank you JARVIS."

All three men got quiet as the movie began and soon they were enjoying "Ghostbusters". They all three found the idea of hunting and capturing ghosts a bit odd. Soon the three men were laughing as Veckman was slimed by a green ghost. When the movie finally ended, all three agreed it was worth watching again and JARVIS added it to the list each of them had for movies they enjoyed. Loki looked around for Tamara, wanting to thank her for adding the movie to the list.

"JARVIS, where is Tamara?"

"She has already retired to her room for the night."


	24. Chapter 24

Loki was disappointed he wouldn't get to speak to Tamara right away but he just bid the others “good night” and retired to his room. Some time later he woke and couldn't figure out why; it felt as if something was wrong but he could see nothing amiss in his room. As he pondered this, he came to realize that he was picking up distress from Tamara and he slipped out of bed to check on her. He made his way to her floor but found her door locked. His pounding woke up Steve who was in a room across from Tamara's for some reason.

“What are you doing Loki?”

“Something is wrong with Tamara. The door is locked and she will not respond.”

“Move." Loki stepped to the side as Steve took his place. “JARVIS, can you check on Tamara?”

“She has turned off the sensors and is not responding to vocal requests either.”

“Can you open the door.”

“I'm afraid not, she requested a manual lock only.”

“Remind me to tell Tony sorry later then.” Steve braced himself against the door and pushed, feeling the door give way slightly. He stepped back a couple of steps and shoved hard at the door and felt it give way. Pushing it open the rest of the way he stepped into the main room. From there he could hear what sounded like Tamara fighting something and he didn't hesitate to force her bedroom door open.

Tamara was tangled in her blanket, thrashing and crying as she fought to get free. Steve made his way across the room to the bed with Loki close behind. Steve wanted to grab Tamara but he didn't want to hurt her in the process either. Loki was quiet for a minute, then suddenly Tamara was free of the blanket which had simply pooled around her, covering her slightly. Tamara curled into a ball, her knees were drawn to her chest and arms wrapped around her chest. Her eyes were open but she was staring at neither of them. Loki started to touch her and instead she attacked him, punching him hard in the face and sending him stumbling backward, confusion all over his face, as he fell down onto the floor.

Steve was more cautious than Loki and he made sure to stay clear of her wild swings. “JARVIS, get Jake down here, please. Any ideas?”

“She might be caught in a nightmare, the only solutions are to wait it out or find a way to snap her out of it.”

Steve was quite for a minute as he thought and he finally came up with an idea. “JARVIS, I'm gonna try to get her attention. Lemme know when Jake gets here.” Stepping closer to Tamara, Steve said “medic” in a loud voice. Loki looked at him in surprise from where he was starting to get up off the floor. “No stay there and be quiet; if we can reach her, she might snap out of it.” Loki simply nodded as Steve called out again “where's the medic, man down”.

Steve heard a noise behind him and glanced back to see Thor and Bruce in the doorway but he waved them back. He could hear Tony and the others behind them but they had to get Tamara out of the grip of her nightmare. Steve noticed that Tamara wasn't quite as frantic now so more softly he tried again, “need a medic over here”. He could hear Tamara's heart rate decreasing as she calmed down and became more aware of her surroundings. She looked around with a fearful expression as Steve stepped closer to her bed. Loki got up from the floor and backed slowly towards the others as Tamara continued to stare around in fear.

“Calm down Tam, you're safe, you're home in the tower. Come on Tam, listen to my voice, you know me, you know none of us will hurt you.” Steve looked back at the others and saw Pepper standing quietly beside Tasha and he motioned to both of them to join him. The other men moved out of the way and both ladies walked closer to the bed. Tamara darted her eyes back and forth between them and Steve but he never stopped talking. “Come on Tam, you're home, you're safe here.” Steve continued to talk to her as he slowly stepped closer until he reached the edge of the bed but Tamara scooted backward until she fell off the bed.

She continued to scoot backward until she reached the wall where she just huddled, arms wrapped around her chest. Her eyes continued to dart between Steve, Pepper, and Tasha and the men huddled just outside her bedroom door. Steve slowly started moving around the bed as he motioned the other men out of sight. Bruce got the idea and encouraged the others to move back into the main room, out of Tamara's sight but not out of Steve's hearing. Pepper and Tasha stayed on the opposite side of the bed as Steve moved around the end until he was between Tamara and the bed.

In the other room, Steve could finally hear Jake's voice and he didn't like what he heard. “I stopped by the infirmary because JARVIS said Toi was there. Tamara must have given her a sedative cause she's out cold, and she has an ace bandage around her right front leg and shoulder. Tamara told JARVIS it wasn't broken, just a severe sprain but she wanted Toi to sleep through the night. She's in her war cat form, which is probably why Tamara didn't bring her up here. She didn't tell JARVIS how Toi got hurt.”

Steve focused on Tamara again, “Tam, wake up for us, we need to know how Toi got hurt.” This time he was relieved to see that he was finally getting through to her. “That's it, c'mon Tam, you're home, everyone's worried about you. Look Pepper and Tasha are here too and the guys are all outside waiting to make sure you're OK. Talk to us please, I'll leave if you want so you can talk to Tasha and Pepper.”

“No, don't leave me alone.” It was so soft Steve almost missed it. Instead, he knelt down in front of Tamara and reached a hand out towards her, hoping she would take it. After a few seconds that seemed to take forever, Tamara grabbed Steve's hand and pulled herself into his arms suddenly, burying her face against his chest. Steve was surprised but that turned to concern when he could see blood seeping through the back of her shirt.

“Tash, get Jake in here, and get a first aid kit. Pepper, she's bleeding on her back, is there any blood on the bed?”

Pepper pulled back the blanket but there was no blood so she relaxed until she noticed the blood on the blanket itself. “Steve”. Pepper held the bloody blanket where he could see the amount of blood. “If she's still bleeding this much, it has to be a fairly large injury.”

Steve leaned over and brought one arm under Tamara's legs so he could lift her but her weight and the way he was crouched made it hard for him to get to his feet. He felt hands under both arms and he was helped up so he could sit down with Tamara on the bed. Tamara wouldn't let go of Steve and he could feel her shudder but he didn't know if it was from fear or pain. He was glad when Tasha sat down on the bed behind her and started cutting the back of her shirt open.

When Tasha cut her shirt open, everyone was shocked to see long claw marks running down her back and several small punctures that might be from teeth on her left shoulder. 

“What happened, it almost looks like Toi did this to her.”

Steve was as shocked as everyone else but he was adamant that Toi would never hurt Tamara. “If Toi did that, then there has to be a good reason. JARVIS, did Tamara go out after the first movie?”

“She did; when she returned, Toi was injured.”

“J, access cameras along her path and see if you can find out how Toi got hurt. We find that out, we might find out how she got hurt.”

“Yes Sir”

Jake moved closer to Tamara but she flinched when he tried to look at her back. Not wanting to frighten her anymore, he handed the antiseptic and bandages to Tasha who cleaned the wounds and secured them with butterfly strips before covering them with gauze.

“Sir, there is company in the private elevator. I have held it at the gym but the occupant is making no effort to exit.”

“Who is it J?”

“Mr. Parker”

“Let him up, J. Maybe he has answers, gotta be some reason for him to show up in the middle of the night.”

Most everyone went to meet Peter in the main room and to give Tamara some privacy so her shirt could be changed. Steve tried to leave as well but Tamara refused to let go of his hand. “She's gonna need a baggy shirt, hers will be too tight over those bandages. Pepper, can you get one of mine, it should be loose enough; if not then one of Thor's.”

Pepper left the room and returned a few minutes later carrying a large t-shirt. Tamara's shirt wasn't cut all the way open and Tasha still needed to clean and bandage her shoulder. Tamara hadn't said a word the entire time but Steve could feel her tremble repeatedly as Tasha cleaned her back and shoulder. Pepper and Tasha got Thor's shirt over her head and Steve managed to get her to let go, one hand at a time, so they could drop it onto her shoulders. Pepper eased her right arm into the sleeve and Tasha gently moved the left but Tamara still flinched. After the shirt was over her arms, Pepper pulled it down around her while Tasha finished cutting her ruined shirt so it could easily be slid off from under Thor's shirt.

Once they were done, Steve picked her back up. They went down to the common floor where they found everyone gathered in the media room. As they were walking in, they could hear Tony's voice. “I'll bet that's when she got hurt. It looks like right for those injuries. And it would explain why Toi is bandaged, she must have injured herself then. But why didn't Tamara know she was hurt, she should have felt that.”

Jake responded as he was leaving the room, “Probably adrenaline. Look at her face when she came in the building, she was focused on Toi and her pain, so she never felt any herself. JARVIS didn't notice the injuries because she kept that coat on the entire time and her shirt was dark as well. And none of the camera angles let JARVIS see her back. Not to mention, she never turned on the lights in her room.”

“J, we need to add cameras. I want you to be able to see the front and back of a person anywhere in a room. Not in bedrooms but unless someone objects, I want them in the main room of every suite. At a minimum, cameras on every hallway so you can see both ends.” Tony looked over when Pepper and Tasha stepped into the room followed by Steve carrying Tamara.

“I don't think she should be alone Tony. I told Steve we'd stay in here if she wants us to.”

Tony walked over to Tamara as Steve started to sit her down on the love-seat. He didn't say anything but Tamara didn't pull away when he reached out to her either. He squeezed her right shoulder lightly then turned back towards Peter. “Thanks for coming by, we couldn't figure out how she got hurt.”

“If I'd known she was hurt, I'd swung by sooner. I just wanted to let her know that kid would be fine, I saw him leaving the hospital with a couple adults.”

Jake came back in the room carrying a large glass of tea and a smaller glass. He set both down on a small table beside the loveseat. “Tamara, I need you to drink this down for me, it'll make you feel better.” He held the small glass and after a few minutes, Tamara took it and started drinking, making a face at the taste. When she tried to hand it back before it was empty, Jake pushed it back at her. “All of it, then you can have the tea to get rid of the taste.” She still wasn't talking but she finished the small glass and eagerly took the large glass of cold tea Jake handed her.

Loki was curious, “What did you give her?”

“Just an herbal mix to help her relax, they're effective but they taste nasty. Somebody needs to stay with her the rest of the night, she's not going to be comfortable. Maybe in the morning we can find out exactly what happened.”

Loki came and sat down near Steve and Tamara gave him a small smile as her eyes began to droop. It was clear she was struggling to stay awake and losing. Tamara leaned over towards the arm of the loveseat and pillowed her head on her arm. She slipped towards the back of the couch and winced, obviously feeling it in her wounded back. Pepper took a blanket and draped it around her shoulders as she tried to get comfortable. After watching her shift for several minutes, Steve pulled her over so she was propped against his chest, feet tucked under her. He stretched out and placed one arm on the small of her back as she drifted off to sleep.

“JARVIS, did she seem upset when she went out after the movie?”

“She wasn't displaying any signs of distress but Toi was restless when she joined Tamara.”

“What are you getting at Steve? You think something was wrong before she went out? She goes out almost every night, even if it's just to the roof.”

“I know, but that movie we watched about the firemen; that was the movie she was watching after our first trip to Asgard. She watched it and something JARVIS told me was an old TV show. It was after that movie that she told me about her sister and how her dad died. But she seemed fine this time, she looked like she was enjoying it, not that it upset her.”

“What movie was it?”

“Backdraft, I think”

“I wish I had known that earlier. That movie can trigger memories for her, she's unpredictable in how she will react to watching it.”

“I did not know, she had JARVIS add it to my list of movies. She was trying to explain to me her father's gift.”

“Normally, I wouldn't do this but she's special to me. And I know she'd never tell anyone, she doesn't want people to think she's weak. She has a few triggers, things she should not watch alone or be left alone afterward. The two biggest are Backdraft and Ladder 49, they tend to remind her of Sean. There's also a TV show she enjoys, it's called Emergency. It's about a fire department, mostly about the paramedics. Most the episodes aren't too bad, they remind her of Sean and how much he enjoyed his job. But there are two that can be major triggers, 'Snakebite' and 'Nuisance'. JARVIS, if she starts to watch those, please let someone know, both deal with the near death of one of the main characters. Several other episodes deal with injuries to the firemen but she can handle those without much trouble.”

“So what happens, she gets depressed or something?”

Jake sighed, “Tony, with her, you can never tell. For example, she watched 'Ladder 49' once while at a camp. It was winter and they used a fireplace to heat the cabin. All we know for sure is that the kids woke up cold in the morning, Tamara curled up on the floor in front of the fireplace; a spent fire extinguisher on the floor beside her. When she was asked about it, she never even remembered getting out of bed.

“Jake, maybe we should wait until morning to talk about this. She should have the chance to tell us herself what sets her off. I'm not going anywhere so she should be able to sleep the rest of the night.”

“You know Jake, maybe you can answer a question for me.”

“What's that Tony?”

“Why is it when she gets upset she calms down and all when Steve's around? I mean look at her, she wouldn't let you touch her back and she's known you longer than any of us. But she went right to sleep when she knew Steve was there.”

Steve blushed but he was curious as well.

“I don't know for sure but I can guess. All her life she heard the story about how he saved John. When her sister died, for a long time she pretended that Captain America had taken her away someplace where she would be safe. She had this hero figure in her life from a very young age. I've heard the stories that John told about his rescue. And I've heard stories from other soldiers about Captain America. And the interesting thing is that they never tried to make him seem perfect, John even told me that he was surprised to hear cursing from Captain America. Tamara grew up thinking of Captain America as an ordinary man doing extraordinary things, someone who lived and loved and even cursed; someone who wasn't perfect but did the best he could. After meeting Steve, I'd say she found out that everything she was told was close to true. He's not perfect but he lives up to the expectations she created as a young child.”


	25. Chapter 25

Tony grabbed a tablet before joining Pepper in the recliner. As she started to drift off to sleep, he was busy typing away on the tablet, working on a way to help the family that Tamara had brought to his attention. Both the parents had passed all JARVIS's background checks; now it was a matter of finding the best way to help the family. As Tony worked, he noticed that Loki and Thor had settled down to sleep in the media room as well, while the others went back to their own rooms. However, he was surprised when Loki teleported a sleeping Toi into the room as well and made her comfortable before preparing to sleep in one of the other recliners.

When Tamara awoke the next morning, she was confused and disoriented. Still half-asleep she didn't register where she was at first, just that she wasn't in her room. As she lay there trying to wake up fully, she became aware she could hear a steady heartbeat and that her “pillow” was a strong muscled chest. She knew she had gone back to her room after tending to Toi so how did she end up somewhere else? And who was she sleeping against and why? She shifted slightly and felt pain stab through her back and left shoulder and she couldn't prevent herself from groaning. She was able to turn her head slightly and she could see Tony and Pepper in a recliner and Loki and Thor in two more but she couldn't turn any further without pain.

JARVIS must have been monitoring the room because he spoke up as she continued to try to move. “Tamara, the others will be glad to know you are awake. I will alert Jake that you are up.”

“What happened J, how'd I get in here, another nightmare?”

“You were injured when you went out with Toi last night. After you treated her injury, you retired to your room. You experienced a nightmare last night and Loki and Steve became concerned. I'm afraid your doors will need to be replaced.”

“They broke my doors down?”

Steve answered her and she realized he the one she was leaning against. “Actually, I did. You weren't answering but I could hear you in your bedroom. When I broke the door down, you were tangled in your blanket so Loki used magic to get it loose. You didn't recognize any of us and you were terrified. Everyone was worried, especially after we saw your back.”

“What's wrong with my back, it hurts like hell but I don't remember getting hurt.”

“Peter came by and told us about the kid, said he didn't stop to check on you because the kid needed help. It looks like when Toi grabbed you, she ended up clawing your back pretty bad. And you've got teeth marks on your left shoulder. Tasha had to clean it up, you wouldn't even let Jake look at it. We figured you'd feel safer if you knew some of us were around.”

“So how did I end up using you as a pillow?”

“You tried to sleep leaning against the arm but slipped and fell on the back. I figured I could keep you from falling off and this way you wouldn't put any pressure on your back. You hungry?”

“Starved”

Steve easily picked Tamara up and set her so she was sitting upright on the loveseat. “Can you get up by yourself? Your back was a mess last night, Jake's gonna want to clean it again for sure.” Tamara tried to get up but couldn't hide a wince at the pain in her back. Steve leaned over and helped her stand, then headed for the kitchen to start breakfast. When Tamara joined him there, he had a large glass of tea and a smaller cup. “Jake left a note you were to drink that small cup when you get up, and then you can have something sweet.”

Tamara picked up the small cup and sipped it, hating the taste but realizing Jake probably had a good reason for whatever was in it. She downed it as quickly as possible and grabbed the glass of tea but it wasn't enough to hide the bitter taste of the herbal concoction. Before she could say anything, someone set a glass of juice down in front of her. She looked up to see Tony watching her.

“How ya feeling?”

“Awful, was my back really that bad?”

“It was pretty bad, she bit you. I know, she did it in the process of helping you but still, those are big teeth.”

Clint came into the room followed by Tasha, “Morning Tam, how's the back?”

“Sore”

“I bet, it looked worse than Spider-man after that bear kid got a hold of him.”

“That bad?”

Any further talk was stopped by Steve setting a stack of pancakes in front of Tamara. Tony grabbed the plate and covered them in butter and the maple syrup Tamara loved before setting it back in front of her. She smiled gratefully at him, not wanting to admit that the idea of reaching for the pancakes was not pleasant. Steve continued to cook and fill plates with stacks of pancakes as the others filed in. Everyone was quiet for once as they ate and it was only as they were finishing up that Steve broke the silence.

“We need to have a team meeting, we haven't had one since we got back from Asgard. We need to talk about last night, and I know Tamara's not the only one to have issues with things. If we're gonna be an effective team, we need to know anything that might cause problems for the others.”

“Can we at least go somewhere else? Tam's got to be uncomfortable trying not to lean against the back of the chair.”

Steve looked guilty as he realized that he hadn't given Tamara's comfort any thought. Tasha helped her up out of the chair and out of the room as the rest cleaned up breakfast. When the men finally joined them, Tasha and Pepper had helped her change clothes and gotten her situated in the media room. Tony set a bowl of fruit down on a small table near Tamara while Steve and Bruce set out drinks. Clint and Thor were busy moving furniture but finally, they had everything arranged so they could chat.

“Umm, guys, what day is it? Doesn't Pepper have to work?”

“It's the weekend and after last night, there's nothing I really need to go into the office for. Now, Jake told us last night that you have things that upset you or can cause nightmares. We don't want to push you but we need to be prepared in case of repeats of last night.”

“I understand why you're asking, it's just...usually I can handle things on my own. I'm not weak, I can handle this stuff.”

“Tam, nobody's saying you're weak, we all need help sometimes, tell her, Tony.”

“Yeah, I have trouble with bathtubs, any small container of water like that. The pool or ocean, I'm fine. But I haven't been in a bathtub since Afghanistan. That's why the hot tub is so big, I need the room so I don't freak out. No allergies that we know of though but Pepper's deathly allergic to strawberries, so we have to be careful where we eat out.”

“When I first came to Midgard as an adult, it was because I was cast out by my father. I was stripped of my powers until I proved myself worthy again. Some nights, I relive those days but instead you are all there and I am powerless to help you.”

“I use magic to keep from dreaming. I have woken Thor several times due to remembering what the Titan did to me. I never recall the dreams but I cannot tolerate being restrained.”

Tamara sighed, it was clear the others were not going to let this drop. “Fine, fire could be a problem for me. It's almost hypnotizing and sometimes I swear I can almost see creatures in the flames like my dad used to talk about seeing. 'Backdraft' and 'Ladder 49' get me stressed and amplify whatever I'm already feeling. On a good day, I can watch the movies and remember my dad with happiness. On a bad day, it hurts to think about him. I can't tolerate being restrained either, not since that guy. And whenever one of you gets hurts, I stress out and worry until I know you'll be fine.

Loki cast a quick glance at Thor when Tamara mentioned seeing creatures in the flames. Was she seeing elementals he wondered? Is that how her father knew how a fire would behave?

“I have nightmares sometimes about the damage Hulk could cause if he ever decided to stop cooperating. But the longer we're around everyone here, the easier it gets.”

“I don't like the cold anymore. When I was little I loved winter and snow but after being frozen, part of me is afraid it will happen again.”

“I have unpleasant dreams, memories of people I killed or people I failed to protect.” Clint looked at Tasha as he said that and Tamara wondered of Tasha had the same problem.

“See, each of us has something to deal with, you're not alone and we don't think you're weak. Next time something's bothering you, tell someone, please. We don't want you going out and getting hurt again.” Steve started to say more but he noticed that Tamara was fighting to stay awake. Instead, he pulled a blanket over her as the others left the room. Tony didn't leave the room, instead, he made himself comfortable in a recliner. Pepper came and joined him and the two talked quietly as Tamara slept.

Steve headed for the gym, knowing Thor would be waiting for their daily sparring session. When he arrived in the gym, he was surprised to find Thor sparring with Loki. It was interesting to watch, especially when he realized that Thor was sparring with an image of Loki. When Steve stepped into the gym, Thor never paused but the real Loki noticed him and nodded in greeting. Steve headed for the heavy bag and began to work out, pounding the bag for a long time before moving on to the weights. By the time Steve had finished with the weights, he realized that Thor was no longer sparring with the image of Loki and instead that Clint and Tasha were in the ring working out. Deciding he didn't feel like sparring right now, Steve headed outside for a run.

He ran for several miles through Manhattan and into Brooklyn, finding a small bakery that he remembered from his childhood. The original owners were retired but their grandson and his wife now ran the bakery. Steve knew that whenever Tamara was healing, she needed extra sugar so he ordered a couple of cakes and other sweets, along with some fresh bread, to be delivered to the tower later but took with him a box of cookies and slices of homemade cheesecake.

When he returned to the tower, Tamara was still asleep and a check with JARVIS let him know that she had not woken up since he left. He put the cheesecake into a small container with some of the cookies and put them in the fridge, labeling them for Tamara. The rest of the cookies, he carried into the media room, hearing the sounds of laughter even in the kitchen.

In the media room, he found most everyone had gathered as was usual on a Saturday and they were engaged in the usual run of video games. Loki was learning how to play sports with the Wii and he was a surprisingly quick learner for both bowling and tennis. Steve set the box of cookies down on the table and opened it, knowing the others would be quick to investigate. “Hey guys, I brought some cookies back with me, I put some in the fridge for Tamara already so enjoy.”

“Steve, can I get you to help Thor move some furniture for me later? I'm replacing some furniture in here, I'm having some pieces custom built so it may take a couple of days.”

“Sure, we moving stuff out or just around?”

“A little of both, I'm moving some stuff out and moving a few new pieces in here. I'm doing away with the love-seats, getting something better suited to relaxing.”

Steve settled back and watched as the others played games, taking a turn when it was offered. Tamara slept until lunch time when she started to stir. Tony had ordered pizza for lunch and Steve made sure that one was set aside for Tamara. Jake insisted she drink more of the herbal tea and Steve suspected it had something to help her sleep. Just before Tamara woke up, Steve was surprised to see Thor leave the room and return with a small bag. Tamara ate part of the pizza and a couple of the cookies, then Jake insisted on looking at her back. Without any thought of where she was, she pulled the back of the shirt up and leaned against the back of the loveseat. Only Bruce and Jake were not surprised at the scars that covered her back but no one said a word. Thor took two small stones from the bag and handed one to Loki as Jake was removing the bandages. The wounds were a bright angry red and looked infected.

“Tamara, I need to take you down to the infirmary, it looks like those places are getting infected. I need to open them up and clean them out.”

“Jake, perhaps Thor and I can help, if you will trust us?” Jake looked at Tamara and she nodded, so Jake moved away and allowed Loki to take his place. Loki held the small stone in his hands and created a magic flame, heating the stone until it glowed red, then crushed it in his hands while Thor had taken the other stone and crushed it against Mjölnir. Thor then allowed the dust from the crushed stone to fall onto the wounds on Tamara's back and Loki did the same with the stone he had crushed. As the others watched, the wounds began to visibly heal, until they were no more than red streaks down her back.

“What was that?”

“They are healing stones, we use them on Asgard for serious injuries. Frigga sent them to us to use for Tamara.”

“Can anybody use those things?”

“Some of them, yes, any Asgardian can use but I do not know if any of you could use one. The stones that we used were different; sometimes stones are keyed to be used by certain people, they can be very powerful. The stones we used were keyed to us, for Loki's magic and the magic of Mjölnir were required to activate these stones.”

Pepper noticed that Tamara had already gone back to sleep, leaning against the back of the love- seat. “Is that normal, I mean for her to sleep after those stones are used?”

“It is, the stones accelerated her own healing, she will wake in a few hours, though.”

Toi returned to her normal house cat size and pawed at the love-seat where Tamara slept. Thor laid Tamara down and Toi climbed up beside her, purring softly. _'Sad, hurt sister friend.'_

Thor stroked the cat, “We know you did not mean to hurt her. And even the wounds are better than her falling.”

_'Love me?'_

“She will always love you, she bears you no ill will.” As Thor spoke, Tamara slipped an arm around Toi and the cat snuggled down against her, licking her arm before laying her head on Tamara's chest and going to sleep herself.

“Who knew animals feel love, wonder what other emotions they feel?”

Pepper slapped Tony lightly. “She is not an experiment and I bet Toi's different than most animals. You can watch and see but that's all. JARVIS, if Tony tries anything, let me know immediately.”

“Yes Miss Potts”

“Tony, because she is bonded with Tamara, she can feel and understand human emotions that most animals cannot. But I have seen animals here show love and fear and a wide range of emotions. I believe your Earth animals are smarter than you humans give them credit.”

Tamara continued to sleep as the others played video games until supper. It was supposed to be her night to cook but Steve and Bruce offered to cook instead and allowed her to continue to sleep. Bruce had noticed it was turning colder earlier so he suggested they make a stew. The two men made a hearty beef stew and allowed it to simmer until supper. As dark fell, everyone made their way into the kitchen, grabbing a bowl of stew when they got hungry. It was almost 9 pm before Pepper decided that they should wake Tamara to eat.

When Tamara woke, she was embarrassed to have slept all day and not taken her turn fixing supper. Bruce and Steve reassured her that it was no problem since she'd taken turns for the others before when they were unable to cook or out of town. Tamara ate the stew slowly, enjoying the variety of tastes from the different vegetables. She was a bit surprised to find that Steve had brought fresh baked bread back from the bakery but she gratefully took several slices and sopped up the excess stew broth.

Sunday was mostly a repeat of Saturday with Tamara sleeping most of the time as the others worked out or entertained themselves in the media room. When she woke late Sunday afternoon, she heard Pepper talking to Tony about whether or not they would be hosting a Halloween party this year.

“Hey Tony, are you gonna host a party? Cause a friend of mine was going to host one for that little girl. He works at a small theater and the owner said they could use it to host a party. They'll be taking donations at the door to help the family.”

“SI usually hosts a carnival for the families of employees and then an adult only party later in the evening. We use it to kick off our holiday fundraisers for the foundation, set up bins to collect toys, that kind of thing. We hadn't decided on a location yet this year, how big is the theater?”

“It's just a little off-Broadway place; I doubt it would be big enough for an SI party.”

“Get your friend to fix up something about the family and we'll set it up at the entrance to the carnival. Employees can donate at the carnival or go to the theater to help the family.”

“Thanks Tony.”

“So, you thought of a costume yet Tam? People usually expect to see the Avengers as ourselves at the carnival. Last year you weren't up to attending so we didn't mention it but you're welcome to join us.”

“Tony, maybe she should sit this out. Most people don't know she's part of the team, I mean, she looks a lot like a SHIELD medic out there and she's usually helping civilians.”

“Oh I want to come, but you probably won't recognize me. My family has a sort of Halloween tradition and I want to carry it on. But I think it will surprise you and the carnival is the perfect place for it. You tell me when and where and I'll be there.”

“We usually rent out part of Central Park, set up kid's games and rides and entertainers. And the petting zoo, kids love the petting zoo.”

“Could we invite the X-Men? I don't know if they'd come but some of them might. And Toi could stay with Thor, dress her up in her armor and let kids get their picture with her. People already think she's here with Thor or I could take her out in her house cat form, either one. But what about Loki, we can't ask him to stay in the tower while everyone else is out having fun?”

“He's welcome to join Thor if he wants to or he can stay here either way, it's up to him. And any of the X-men that want to come are welcome to join us as well.”

“That reminds me, Tony, Loki's gonna need a tracker too. I'm worried someone might try to hurt him or what if the council comes after him?”

Loki came in the room in time to hear the end of the conversation. “What is this tracker you speak of?”

“It's a small device that gets injected under the skin; it lets JARVIS track your location.”

“You would spy on me?”

“No, not spying. JARVIS sends a signal out at random intervals that test to make sure the tracker is functioning. Otherwise, he only accesses the device if you fail to show up when expected and I don't mean a couple of minutes late; more like, noticeably late. I just worry that there are people out there who want to hurt you and they don't care that you weren't in control. They want someone to blame for the damage caused by the Chitauri attack and you are the most likely target. Ask Clint how he was treated afterward and you'll see just how dangerous these people can be.”

“I will consider the device, but I cannot promise I will allow it.”

“If I makes you feel better about it, Thor has one, just like the rest of us.”

Tony and Pepper spent the rest of the afternoon planning the annual Halloween carnival. Halloween would be on a Thursday this year so they decided to hold the carnival on the following Saturday. This way, parents could still take the kids out to trick or treat and enjoy themselves at the adult party afterward. JARVIS kept track of which entertainers were well received each year and provided a list for them to choose from. Once they made the selections, JARVIS sent notices off to the entertainers they had selected.

Tamara sent a message off to Brian to let him know that SI would be glad to post something about the family at their annual Halloween carnival. She also asked for his helping in altering a couple of outfits that belonged to her grandmother for her to wear for the carnival and the party afterward. It was late that evening when she got a response back from Brian letting her know that he'd be glad to help her with the outfits.

As evening fell, Loki let Tamara know that he would consent to the tracking device if it would ease her mind. Tony already had extra devices made and he took Loki down to the workshop to insert it. They returned to the main floor in a few minutes as Clint took orders for takeout. The team shared a late supper, then retired to bed for the night. But this was not to be a peaceful night.


	26. Chapter 26

Around two am JARVIS alerted Steve to a call from Director Fury. Steve made his way into his living area and took the call on the computer. “Director”

“Your team is needed in Europe. There's a facility in Sweden trying to duplicate Stark's arc reactor technology. We've been monitoring the facility and as of 1 hour ago, all contact with the outside ceased. The government has refused to allow SHIELD in to assess the situation but considering the research, I felt your team should be notified.”

“How soon can you have a jet here?”

“In fifteen, it's already en route.”

As Steve ended the call, JARVIS let him know that he had already woken the others and they were getting ready to leave. Steve dressed quickly and made his way up to the roof to await the quinjet to take them to Sweden. When he arrived, he found Tasha and Clint already waiting which did not surprise him. Before the quinjet arrived, the rest of the team was ready on the deck, including Tamara. Steve didn't want her to come but he could hardly refuse when he saw Jake arrive with medical supplies.

When the jet arrived, everyone boarded quickly and stowed their gear. A SHIELD agent was waiting with what little information they had on the situation. Packets were handed out and maps were spread out as the team began to plan. By the time the quinjet was over Sweden, everyone was alert and ready to go. The weather was in the low 40's so Tamara, Tasha and Clint were wearing winter gear provided by SHIELD. Bruce was also wearing winter gear, not that they expected it to last long if he had to Hulk out. Loki had offered to teleport Bruce to the surface to avoid the risk of him hulking out in free fall; an offer Bruce gladly accepted. As they approached the drop point, Tony readied his suit while everyone else double-checked their gear. Only Jake did not check any gear as he would not be jumping with them; instead, he would remain with the jet behind a mountain.

As they disembarked, they split into four teams of two each. As Loki teleported with Bruce down to the meeting point, Thor and Tony both took off through the air. Tamara was instructed to stay out of sight with Clint unless she was needed while Steve and Tasha headed for the facility tucked into the mountain side. After confirming no guards were stationed outside, they combined into two teams. The heavy hitters stayed outside with Clint to secure the facility while the other three made their way inside. Steve wasn't happy that Tamara was with them so soon after an injury but he had to admit it was the right decision when they found the first body. Tamara calmly removed the id tag from the bullet-ridden body and tucked it away in a manner that reminded Steve of his military days and collecting dog tags. As they progressed further into the facility the body count grew but so far, most of the bodies appeared to be ordinary people and none of them were happy that these people met their end the way they did. When the first body in tactical gear was found, Tasha stepped in and checked it before dropping it back down without a sound. Fury had provided a map of the facility and as they made their way towards the main research area, the bodies stopped appearing for a while but then bodies in lab coats began to be mixed among those in tactical gear.

Tamara was sandwiched between Tasha and Steve and he worried when he saw Tasha motion her close. Following them, he could make out a large room with several bodies and he noticed some of the bodies were still moving. Tamara pulled her medical gear out and moved quietly to the nearest moving figure, not in tactical gear and began to assess them. Tasha checked the bodies in tactical gear and secured them and their weapons if they were still alive. Steve stood guard as Tasha finished with the soldiers and approached him.

“Looks like mercs Cap, some of them might make it but I won't have Sage push herself for these scum. Got a couple with wounds designed to stop them but not kill them.”

“The scientists?”

“Counting the people here, we're missing four it looks like. All the regular staff are dead, or at least enough bodies in staff clothing. Got one civilian as well, an old man, he says he was here visiting his granddaughter when the attack happened.”

“We sure he's clean?”

“Didn't get a name but he's not faking his concern. If he was with the mercs, he'd be turning on them for hurting her. I'll have Tony let SHIELD know what we've got so more medical personnel can be brought in, we need to get these people to a hospital. I'll copy the data while we wait, why don't you give Sage a hand.”

Steve nodded and made his way over to where Tamara was working on a young woman with multiple bullet holes in her body. She glanced up when Steve knelt beside her but her hands continued to work bandaging the wounds.

“How is she?”

“Lots of pain but I think she'll live, we got help on the way?”

“Widow's calling it in now, no idea on ETA. What can I do to help?”

“You learned a little field medicine right?” Steve just nodded. “Those three don't look too bad, can you cover those gunshots? Just don't let them take pressure off, make it tight but don't cut the circulation off; none of them are life-threatening. When I'm done here, I'm gonna check on the old man and his granddaughter, he said she just got grazed by a bullet but I don't like the way he looks.”

Steve just nodded and grabbed one of the small trauma packs Tamara had in her kit and made his way over to the wounded employees. Knowing Tamara had already checked them made him more confident he was doing the right things as he covered the gunshots with a clean bandage and wrapped them with gauze. When he was finished with the three men, he walked back over to Tasha.

“Tony says medical is about forty-five minutes out. Fury pulled some strings and got permission to bring a team in. Help me move the prisoners while we wait.” Steve and Tasha secured the prisoners to a nearby table before gagging them.

Steve noticed one of the prisoners trying to get under the table but before he could return and question him, he heard explosions begin deeper within the facility. Leaving the prisoners to fend for themselves, he grabbed a table and shoved it over the injured woman Tamara had been treating earlier and crouched there with her. He was relieved to see that Tasha had gotten the three employees who only had minor injuries under another table and she was crouched there with them. Looking around, he saw Tamara struggling to help the old man to his feet so they could get under another sturdy table. Before he could say anything, Tasha was beside him and she shoved him out towards Tamara. Steve dashed across the room, grabbed the old man by the arm and hauled him to his feet and underneath a large table as Tamara moved to get his granddaughter. 

He watched in horror as the roof began to collapse around them and he saw several pieces of debris strike Tamara and the woman as she struggled to get them to safety. When another large piece fell and knocked them both down, Steve darted out and grabbed them, dragging them back under the table with the old man. Several more explosions occurred and debris continued to fall for several minutes before everything fell deathly silent.

It was dark once the explosions stopped and Steve quickly dug out a flashlight. In spite of his concern for the civilians, Steve's first thought was to check Tamara and he was relieved to see she appeared to be mostly unharmed, although her suit was torn and she had a small gash across her left shoulder. He tried to see across the room to where Tasha had been but the light could not penetrate the darkness that surrounded them. “Widow, report.” When he got no answer he became concerned. “Can anybody else hear me?” He was rewarded with an answer from where the three wounded employees had been stashed under a table. “How you three, any new injuries?”

One man answered, “just bumps and bruises but we're safe under here I think.”

“OK, just stay put. The rest of our team knows where we are and how many people we have down here. We don't know how unstable this mess is.”

“Gotcha”

Steve turned to Tamara as she focused her attention on the old man, concerned with his flushed face and the little winces that told her he was in pain. “I'm gonna see if I can get over to Widow, you stay put here with them.” 

Tamara just nodded as Steve moved some of the debris surrounding the table and began to climb across the rubble-strewn floor. “What about you, what's hurting and don't lie.”

“Just a headache and a bit 'o a back ache ma'am, don't you worry about me. I've been through lots worse than this. So how long has he been Captain America?”

Tamara was a bit surprised at the question. “Since well before I joined the team.”

“He sounds like a good commander, I can tell you both trust him.”

“Yeah, he has this thing about planning that drives me nuts sometimes. But he takes care of us. I'm gonna check on your granddaughter, just stay here.”

The old man nodded and propped himself up against the wall, breathing shallowly but trying to hide it from Tamara. She turned her attention back to the man's granddaughter and began to check her for wounds from the explosions. The woman was unconscious and Tamara quickly discovered that was a blessing when she found a small piece of wood embedded in the side of the woman's chest. She was opening her medical bag for more supplies when Steve made his way back carrying an unconscious Tasha.

“The table fell on that woman, I'm sorry Tam, she's gone.” Tamara bit her lip, she hated to see anyone die. “It looks like Tasha took a hit from something, she's got a nasty cut here on the side of her head.”

Tamara pushed the bag closer to Steve, “Put a dressing over it and hold it there, I'm a little busy right now.” She knelt beside the woman and cut away part of her shirt; Steve could see the wood sticking out of her chest. He could see something else coming out of her chest as well and he wondered briefly what it was before Tamara began to apply a dressing around the wood. He watched as Tamara took one of the plastic bags she kept supplies in and covered one side with Vaseline before placing it over the open wound and taping it down on three sides so the plastic moved as the unconscious woman breathed.

“Here, let me check Tasha, you go over and see if you can reach the others.” She leaned in close and lowered her voice. “Steve we need to get this woman out of here fast, have them get Jake on standby in case I need help.”

Steve whispered back “If they ask, what info do I need to pass on?”

“Just have them get Jake; the sooner the better.”

Steve moved away from Tamara so he could contact the others and he hoped none of them had been injured during the explosions. “Tony, do you copy?”

“Steve, thank god, what's the situation down there?”

“Not good Tony, Tamara needs a line to Jake and we need a medical team here fast. How long to get us out?”

“Not sure, JARVIS is still analyzing the data to see if we can determine where you're at down there. How many civilians?”

“We've got five live civilians and we had a couple of the mercs but I haven't been able to get back over there. Tasha's out cold, took a blow to the head trying to save a civilian. Tam's a little banged up but nothing major.”

“OK, Jake is patching in on field 2 with Tamara, we'll stay on field 1 and coordinate the rescue. We need to know how far in you got before the explosions started.”

Steve could hear a roar in the background which told him that Bruce had changed to help dig them out. “About ¾ of a klick, sorry Tony, kilometers. We're in the main research room, Tasha copied the files but the computers are trashed now. Anybody hurt up there?”

“Barton fell out of his nest but Loki caught him with magic, just a few scrapes and bruises. We'll keep you posted on progress. JARVIS suggests you try to get everyone alive close together. Temperature's dropping and we don't know how cold it will get down there.”

Steve made his way back to Tamara where he could hear her talking in a low voice to Jake. “She's got a piece of wood about 1/2” around embedded on the right side, gallbladder area. No evidence of rigidity in her abdomen. Also looks like a couple of broken ribs and one has punctured her skin. I've got a wet bandage over it to control airflow. Right now she has good bilateral breath sounds but it's kinda hard doing this without proper gear. The old man is another concern, he's diaphoretic and complaining of mild back pain and headache. I didn't want to worry him but visual on his breathing has it shallow, rapid and irregular.” Tamara was quiet for a few minutes and Steve waited as she listened to Jake. “OK, back out and two doors towards the entrance on the left, I'll get Steve to look.”

Tamara shifted so she could look at Steve standing above her and he could see concern written all over her face. “Jake says the facility has a small medical room. I'm hoping you can find me more bandages and gear. You heard where it is?”

Steve nodded, “yeah, what do you need?”

“More bandages definitely. If you can find it, a stethoscope and blood pressure kit. Any small needles you can find and any medicines, especially aspirin if you can find that.”

“Got it, be back in a few I hope. Tony says JARVIS is trying to locate us. He suggests we get everyone as close together as possible to conserve heat.”

Tamara nodded as Steve headed back out the door to try to find the medical supplies she needed. Tamara made her way over to the other three injured civilians and started helping them move closer, although she tried to keep them away from the injured woman. After she settled the last injured man down, she checked on the woman and found her condition hadn't changed. Tasha was still out cold and Tamara checked her watch, noting the time. She moved to the old man last as she debated whether or not to express her concerns to him.

“Sir, do you or your granddaughter have any health problems?”

“She's healthy enough, been sick to her stomach a few days. I told her she needs to get a pregnancy test but she won't listen to me. Her momma was the same way when she was pregnant; early to rise, sick around lunch every day then full of energy the rest of the day. I've had a few problems but who wouldn't at my age?”

Tamara made a mental note to see if the woman was pregnant. “What kind of problems?”

“Got shot a couple times in the war but that's not really what you want to know is it?”

“No sir”

“You don't need to call me sir, young lady. I'm just an old soldier, not a fancy businessman. Name's Timothy.”

Tamara pulled her hood off over her head, “I'm Tamara, nice to meet you, Timothy. Now, about any health problems?”

Timothy chuckled, then grimaced at the pain it caused. “You remind me of a lady I knew in the war, always down to business. I've been shot, had a few broken bones and concussions but I've been mostly healthy. Had to retire in 2000 after a heart attack at work. Can you get the word out to Lucy's husband, I've got a number you can call.”

When Tamara nodded, Timothy rattled off a number and Tamara memorized it, then keyed her comm for Jake. “Jake, can you make a call? The injured woman is married and Timothy asked if we could send word to her husband.” Tamara gave the number to Jake who promised he would call it and get word to her husband. Tamara turned back to Timothy, “Jake'll make sure he's notified but it could take him a while to get here. Where's he work at?”

“He was in Washington last time I asked but with his job he could be anywhere. His boss'll get him here fast as he can. Miss, if it comes down to taking care of me or my Lucy, you take care of her first. I've had a good life, she's still got plenty of living ahead.”

“I won’t hear talk like that, I don't intend to lose either of you. We've got a doctor outside, access to the finest computer around for anything Jake can't guide me through and I've got a couple of tricks up my sleeve.”

Timothy chuckled lightly again, “Now you really remind me of Peggy, she kept all of us in line, only a couple of us left now, though. Nobody crossed her, not even Stark. She sure was one tough lady.”

Tamara was getting curious because some of Timothy's statements were starting to sound familiar. She heard Steve returning and she gave Timothy a reassuring pat on the leg before getting up to go help him. Steve had removed his cowl and was carrying a couple of pillowcases in one hand and a pile of blankets under the other arm. Tamara took the pillowcases as Steve handed blankets out to the three injured workers. He covered Tasha with another before moving to hand one to Timothy.

“Steve??? Is it really you?”

Steve looked at Timothy carefully, “Dum Dum?”


	27. Chapter 27

“Yeah, it's been a long time, you look great for your age.”

Steve knelt down beside him, “I was frozen for 70 years, I thought everyone was gone.”

“Not all of us, Peggy's still around, she's in a home in Washington. Some days she doesn't know what year it is. Gabe was in New Orleans last I heard, playing in a jazz band. The rest, yeah, they're gone.”

“Fury gave me files on everyone but after I saw Bucky's I couldn't look anymore. I didn't want reminders that everyone had gone on with their lives without me.”

“Howard never stopped looking, even had something in his will to make sure the search continued. We all got married, had families but we still got together every year. You know your date with Peggy? We made sure she wasn't alone; all of us, even Howard, came to keep her company.”

“Thanks” Steve said softly.

“Steve, you're our friend and you would've done the same for us. So, you have a new team now?”

Steve settled down beside Timothy as Tamara worked but every few minutes he looked around, checking on his team and the civilians. Finally, he was rewarded when he saw movement from Tasha. Tamara was busy with the injured employees so Steve got her attention. “Tam, Tash is waking up.”

Tamara glanced back, then finished what she was doing and came back over to Tasha and the others. Settling down on her heels, she dug out her notebook to update her treatment of the injured. She was still writing when Tasha awoke and suddenly punched her, knocking her back onto the floor. As Tamara started to get up, Tasha darted over her, heading for the door. Steve looked up at the commotion and went after her, tackling her to the ground. As Tasha struggled to get loose, she was cursing at them in Russian. Steve held her down as Tamara taped her feet together, then her hands in front of her. Tasha continued cursing at them as Steve set her down beside Timothy where he could keep an eye on her.

“Tony, where's Clint?”

“Right here, whatcha need Cap?”

“I need to know all the places Tasha might have a weapon hidden. She's awake but she doesn't seem to remember us, she hit Tamara hard and tried to flee. We've got her tied up for now.”

Clint could hear Tasha cursing in the background as he listed all the likely places for Tasha to have hidden a weapon. Some of the places, Steve let Tamara search because it just didn't feel right for him to be undoing her clothes. He also took the precaution of removing her boots, knowing it would make it harder for her to run and they stashed the small pile of weapons they found inside her boots. As more weapons were removed, Tasha's cursing got louder until it finally stopped and she just sat there sullenly.

When they were done, Tamara sat quietly as Steve cleaned her bloody lip, then she returned to her patients. Jake checked in with her frequently to check on the status of everyone and provide any medical guidance she needed. When Lucy started having trouble breathing, she got Jake back on the comm quickly.

“Jake she's starting to have a lot of trouble breathing. Still unconscious, blood pressure is falling.”

“Sounds like tension pneumothorax, do you know how to do a needle decompression?”

“Yeah, but I've only done them in class.”

“You'll be fine, I'll talk you through everything.”

Tamara listened carefully as Jake told her what supplies she needed and walked her through the process. As she heard the hiss of escaping air, she breathed a small sigh of relief that she had managed to keep Lucy alive. Unfortunately, they had no IV solutions or anything beyond basic first aid supplies and Lucy needed a hospital. Tamara used a little of her ability to probe Lucy's body for further damage and regretted that she could not heal the punctured lung she discovered but that would have to wait for a surgeon. She did confirm that Lucy was pregnant and now she was even more determined that Lucy would make it out of there alive.

“Tony, how much longer before you get to us?”

“About fifteen minutes or so, everything OK for now?”

“Jake needs to come in with you, we gotta get this woman out first. She's the most critical and she's pregnant.”

“We've got choppers standing by. How are the rest?”

“The other three employees can go last, they're hurting but they understand. Tony, this old man, you should know, he was one of the Commandos.”

“Which one?”

“It's Dugan, he goes next. He's had a heart attack in the past and he's showing possible signs of another but it could just be stress.”

“Got it, how about the rest of you?”

“Well, you can hear Tasha I'm sure. She's definitely got a concussion but she's conscious again. Steve has a few small cuts that I can see, nothing that won't be gone tomorrow. I've got some scrapes and bruises, but I'll be fine in a couple of days.”

There was a loud rumble and more dust filled the air. “Tam, Steve you OK in there?”

“Yeah Tony, what happened?”

“Part of the roof collapsed, JARVIS noticed and warned them before it happened so everyone up here was out of the way. We've got a lot more debris to move out now, just sit tight.”

Tamara checked on Lucy again, pleased to see that she was breathing much more easily. Tasha was still sitting sullenly but she had quit cursing at them. And the three other injured employees were doing as well as could be expected. She went to check on Timothy where he sat quietly talking to Steve. He was having more trouble breathing and was sweating a lot more. Deciding she didn't want to worry anyone else, she made her way back towards the door and acted like she was listening for sounds of rescue.

“Steve, I need to tell you something but I need you to stay calm; just nod if you can hear me fine.” She watched and saw him give her just a small nod, one that Timothy never noticed. “Neither Lucy or Timothy can afford to wait for help; her lung has already collapsed once and I can't fix that. She's gotta wait on a surgeon because I think it was caused by a broken rib. I'm not gonna lie to you, your friend may be having another heart attack; if he is, he could go critical at any time.” She was still watching Steve and she could see him tense up. “Steve, I won't let him die but I need to know if you can take care of me if it comes down to that.” Steve nodded again. “Good, everyone else is stable and I won't do anything unless I have no other choice; I just didn't want to take you by surprise. I'm gonna come back over and take another look at him, then I'm gonna get in touch with Jake on field 2. I want you listening in.”

Steve moved to the side as Tamara came back over and knelt by Timothy. She took out the blood pressure set that Steve had brought back and started getting another set of vitals. She had already had Timothy remove his coat and loosen his shirt but there wasn't much else she could do besides watch over him in case it was a heart attack. Looking at her watch, she was surprised to see that it had been less than an hour since the explosions.

When Timothy groaned in pain, Tamara crouched in front of him, resting her left hand over his heart for a few seconds. “Don't you do this to him, fight damn you.” She straddled his legs and placed both her hands on his chest. Steve moved back as her hands began to glow slightly. “Steve, find out how much longer before we get help.”

“Tony how much longer?”

“JARVIS says ten minutes, give or take.”

“Get Jake on the comm, tell him I caught him but he needs to be ready to take over when they get in here, he'll understand.”

Steve relayed the message then decided to try to speed things along by moving rubble from their side of the debris. “I'm gonna go see if I can move things from this side.”

Tamara shook her head sharply, “Sorry Steve, I need you to stay with me. I need you to keep an eye on the others, I can't leave him, not now.”

Steve looked back and saw that Timothy was only semi-conscious now but his breathing had eased slightly.

“I want you to check on Lucy, make sure she's still breathing easily. But first, pull out some of these sugar packets in my lower right side pocket and open them for me.”

“What?”

“I need the sugar Steve or I won't last. Pull my hood back on as well, we can't let anyone else know who I am.”

Steve came back and pulled some of the sugar packets from her pocket and opened them, pouring the contents into her mouth as she tipped her head back. He then pulled her hood back over her head although it was a little crooked. “You gonna be OK?”

“Yeah, trust me, I already discussed it with Jake. Just keep an eye on me and if I get wobbly, then open some more of those sugar packs and make sure I swallow them.”

Steve nodded, then went to sit down beside Lucy, watching and waiting. Times like this he felt helpless; for all his strength and muscle, there were some things he still couldn't do. All he knew about first aid mostly involved bleeding and broken bones. But Jake, Bruce, and especially Tamara were different, their presence could mean the difference between life and death for someone. Forcing his morbid thoughts away, he glanced back over at Tamara, crouched over Timothy's lap and he noticed she was swaying; just a little, but he got up anyway.

He took out more of the sugar packets and tore them open. “Tam, c'mon, you gotta swallow this down for me.”

Her eyes were a bit unfocused when she looked at him, “Steve???”

“Yeah, c'mon, Jake's orders.” When he stood back up, he noticed Timothy was more alert and he was staring at Tamara.

“What's she doing? It doesn't hurt like it did before.”

“I'm not sure, but she said she won't let go. Just rest, we'll be out of here soon.”

Timothy closed his eyes and relaxed as Steve went to sit back beside Lucy. He settled down so he could see Tasha as well and he noticed she looked a bit confused.

“Cap, why am I tied up and where's my stuff?”

“Tamara says you've got a concussion, you hit her and tried to run when you woke up; your weapons are all in your boots. Tamara took some of them out, Clint told us where to look. Want me to untie you?”

Tasha shook her head, “Please, do they know where we're at?”

“Yeah, should be just a few more minutes.”

They sat quietly for several more minutes and Steve was forced to give Tamara the last of the sugar and when he saw her start to sway again, he became concerned. He heard a loud crash from the hallway and dust billowed up again.

As he stood, several small groups rushed into the room carrying medical equipment. One team was led by a tall, lean man in a SHIELD tactical suit and they went to work on Lucy as Steve backed out of the way. He glanced back at Timothy and was alarmed to see Tamara slumped over him but she was still doing her best to keep him alive as her hands still glowed with her healing effort. He hurried to her side as Jake came through the door with the rest of the team.

“Tam, it's OK, Jake's here.”

Jake set a bag down beside them and began pulling out supplies as Loki joined them, concern for Tamara evident on his face. Tamara was mumbling as Jake pulled out supplies for an IV. Another medic team joined them and began to work on Timothy, setting him up with an IV and oxygen and some kind of injection before they were ready to load him on a stretcher.

“Steve, I want you to pull her away from him but she will probably collapse. Keep her hands apart though and don't let her make contact again.”

Steve nodded and pulled Tamara back from Timothy, cradling her when she collapsed in his arms. Jake gave her an injection of something, then started an IV on her. From past experiences, Steve figured the injection was the stuff to get her blood sugar back up but he wasn't sure about the IV.

“Steve, go with your friend, we'll take care of her.”

Steve was torn between staying with Tamara and going with Dugan but finally he nodded. He allowed Loki to take Tamara from his arms, knowing he could trust the rest of the team to watch over her. He didn't see Tamara shiver behind him as he followed the stretcher carrying his friend. Loki conjured a thick fur and wrapped it around Tamara to ease the chill in the air. In just a few minutes, he was following Jake back outside, Tamara cradled in his arms inside the thick fur. As he carried her onto the quinjet waiting on the snow-covered landscape, he was whispering a spell and only Thor saw the glow that settled over the two of them.

Loki took a seat inside the quinjet as Thor followed him. “What did you do brother?”

“I have linked us until she wakes up. Her essence is very weak, she has pushed herself too far and I will not allow her to die. Even your doctor is worried, so I decided it must be done. Mayhap, my essence is strong enough to help her survive.”

Thor nodded, “You can link others as well, can you not?”

Loki nodded, having an idea of what Thor was thinking but it was not his place to suggest.

“Then link my essence as well, she is dear to me as well.”

Loki said nothing but a pale green glow sprang up around Thor as the others boarded the quinjet. It only lasted a few seconds and they thought no one had noticed. Clint guided Tasha to a seat and helped her strap in as Tony helped an unsteady Bruce back into the quinjet. Once everyone was secure, the quinjet was airborne and headed not for a hospital, but for the helicarrier now waiting above the Mediterranean Sea.


	28. Chapter 28

An agent was waiting for the team when the quinjet landed and he led them all down to medical. Loki carried Tamara the entire way, only laying her down once they were in a secure room. Clint pulled a curtain around the bed, blocking it from the view of the door. Jake immediately went to work, setting up monitors and ordering supplies which were left on the other bed. Tasha was being tended by one of the few doctors that Fury had authorized to tend to Tamara and she was willing to help with Tamara if needed. The rest of the team settled into chairs scattered around the room as they waited.

An hour later Steve was in the room with them. Tony was the first to notice. “Steve, how's your buddy?”

“They took him into surgery. I couldn't stand waiting there alone and I wanted to make sure everyone else was OK.”

“Tash has a concussion and she's off duty for a couple days; the rest of us are fine.” Tony looked over at Tamara where she lay quietly in the bed. He studied the monitors for several minutes, “Tamara's doing better, her blood sugar is picking back up. Everything else is close to normal as well.” Tony got up from the chair beside Tamara's bed, “Why don't you sit with her a bit, maybe she'll respond to you better.”

Steve took his usual place beside his injured teammate and began to talk softly to her. He told her about Dum Dum and the Commandos and how scared he was that he was going to lose another friend just when he had found him. He also told her she shouldn't have pushed herself so far, that she was just as important as anyone else. When he ran out of things to say, he just sat quietly as he waited for news of his friend.

Several hours later, the helicarrier was back over New York. There was a knock at the door that startled the sleeping members of the team. The tall lean man from hours earlier stood at the door to the room, “May I come in?”

When no one answered, he stepped just inside the door but made no move to come any further. “I just wanted to say thank-you, for saving my wife. The doctors said she would have died if you hadn't been there. She's out of surgery and her and our baby are doing fine. I think her grandfather is still in surgery. Anyways, thanks.” The man turned around and left without another word.

The machines behind them continued to beep softly as Tamara slept. It was maybe another thirty minutes later when Maria Hill came in the room. “I thought you'd like to know that Dugan is out of surgery, it looks like he'll be fine once he's had some rest. How is Sage doing?”

“She's still out, she pushed herself to keep him alive. When can we take her home?”

“The director said a chopper is available whenever you are ready. We'll be staying in New York for several days unless something comes up. Dugan will be transferred to a land-based facility once he's awake. I'll see to it that you are notified if you like Captain.”

“Thank you Agent Hill.”

Agent Hill nodded before she left the room while Jake disconnected the monitors and got Tamara ready to go home. Loki picked her up gently and carried her out with Thor close behind. The team boarded the chopper to go back to the tower as Tony flew on ahead.

When they reached the tower, Loki carried Tamara not to the infirmary but to her room with Tasha joining him. By now, Pepper was used to seeing them come home injured. Between the two women, they got Tamara out of her uniform, cleaned and into shorts and a t-shirt. Only after Tamara was made more comfortable did Tasha go to clean up herself.

Everyone else was getting cleaned up so Pepper had JARVIS order everyone's favorites from both their local pizza shop and Chinese restaurant. She knew from experience that after a battle, they were all much hungrier than normal. Everyone naturally moved to the kitchen as they finished getting cleaned up and grabbed the cold drinks waiting for them. As the food arrived, Pepper sorted it and handed it out to everyone. Clint grabbed his and Tasha's food and headed for her room. Bruce took his food back to his room, and Loki and Thor headed for Thor's floor. Pepper knew Tony would be soaking in the shower so she took their food back to his room.

Steve came in the kitchen later and found the boxes of food Pepper had ordered for him. When the weather was nice, he liked to eat outside but by now the sky was darkening with the threat of a storm. Grabbing his boxes, he made his way into the media room to eat alone. “JARVIS, is anyone with Tamara?”

“No Captain, just Toi, however, I am monitoring her.”

Steve didn't like for anyone to be alone after a battle so he closed his boxes and carried his food to Tamara's room to sit with her. Pulling a chair into her room, he sat down and ate, feeding bites to Toi occasionally. He was sitting there sketching when Jake came in the room. Jake didn't say anything, just checked Tamara and changed her IV before leaving. Steve listened to the storm rumbling outside and finally laid his sketch book down. He got up and walked over to stand by the window. He was still standing there, watching the lightning flash over the New York skyline when Pepper came looking for him.

“Steve, Agent Hill just called. She said the doctors gave the OK to move your friend to a land-based facility in the morning. You should go get some rest, I'll sit with her for a while.” Steve made no effort to leave the window but Pepper knew he was listening. Pepper walked over to stand beside him and watched the rain pounding the outside of the building. “You OK Steve?”

Steve sighed, “Just tired, I guess.”

“You're worried about your friend too.”

“I thought everyone was gone, now I find out that Gabe and Dum Dum are still alive. And Peggy, Dum Dum said she's in a home in Washington. I don't know if I should go see her, find Gabe..I don't know what to do.”

“I can find out more about Gabe and Peggy for you, you know Tony would help if he knew. You should reach out to them.”

“Why didn't they ever contact me? After the Chitauri I wasn't exactly hiding, I mean, we were all over the news.”

“I don't know, but when you visit your friend, why not ask him. Now, you need some rest. None of you got a full night's sleep and I know it had to be pretty stressful for you. Clint's taking care of Tasha, so you don't have to worry about her. I'll stay with Tamara so you can rest.”

“No, this is my fault, she shouldn't be so still and quiet like this.”

“That's bullshit Steve and you know it, you can't plan for everything, how could you have known you'd meet an old friend and that he'd have a heart attack. The only people to blame for this are those mercenaries, they were responsible for the people who got hurt and your friend's heart attack so they are responsible for Tamara. She's not hurt Steve, she's just resting, you know this, she'll wake up when she's recovered.”

Steve's shoulders dropped in resignation, “OK, I'll rest, but I'm not leaving her. I'll be across the hall, JARVIS, wake me if anything changes.”

Even JARVIS knew when not to argue with Steve, and unlike Tony, there were no protocols for dealing with him. “Yes, Captain.”

Steve left Tamara's room and headed for the room across the hall. He was surprised to find Thor waiting for him when he entered the room. “Thor, how is Loki handling things?”

“He is fine, he is pleased all of you have been showing him trust when we must go out.” Thor had a bottle in his hand and after a minute's hesitation, he handed it to Steve.

“What's this?”

“It is honey mead, not strong enough to get you drunk but enough to ease the shock you must feel.”

“I'm fine, I just need some rest. We all need rest, go to bed Thor, get some sleep.”

“Very well, but I shall leave the mead for you. You can deny the way you feel finding your friend alive but I bet it is much the same as I felt when I found my brother did not die when he fell from the Bifrost.”

Thor set the bottle of mead on a table and quietly left the room. Steve stripped his shirt off and sat down on the bed, pulling his sketch pad into his lap. He began to sketch, drawing scenes from the war and the Commandos and Peggy. After a while, the memories overwhelmed him and he wiped away a stray tear. The bottle of mead still set where Thor left it. Steve grabbed the bottle and took a sip, finding the mead to be sweet and warm. The bottle didn't hold much and Steve drank it down slowly, then set the bottle back down upon the table. He picked his sketch pad back up but he didn't finish the sketch of Bucky, he just closed the book. Lying down on the bed, he closed his eyes and tried to forget the last sight he had of Bucky, falling into oblivion in the snow.

Steve finally fell into a fitful sleep, punctuated by dreams of Bucky and Peggy and the Commandos. Unfortunately, early in the morning, the pleasant dreams turned into nightmares of Bucky falling from the train into the snow-shrouded ravine. Steve woke from the nightmare that was his last memory of Bucky, shivering as though he were still in the snow-covered mountains. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and just sat there, watching lightning flash across the sky as the storm raged outside. He didn't know how long he sat there, but he knew JARVIS was aware of it.

“JARVIS, has Tamara woken up?”

“Not yet, Jake is sitting with her now. It is early for your morning run and the storm shows no sign of letting up, the others are still sleeping.”

“I'm going to skip the run outside today, I'll be in the gym. Let me know when Tamara wakes or when the others start getting up and I'll make breakfast.”

“That will not be necessary, Miss Potts requested that I order breakfast to be delivered at 9 am, however, she has an additional order for you that will be here at 6 am.”

“She didn't have to do that, I can cook for everyone.”

“Yes Sir, but she asked that I tell you she felt you needed a break. The cooks are on the SI payroll they are very good at their jobs but they only actively cook when Miss Potts requests it.”

“Remind me to tell her thanks then, I know better than to argue with her. Can you have my early order delivered to the gym instead of up here? And I'd like orange juice and milk, no coffee right now.”

Steve stripped his clothes off and changed into a comfortable pair of shorts and a t-shirt before heading to the gym. He tried lifting weights but his mind just wasn't cooperating in forgetting the dreams of the night before. Finally, he gave up and hung a new heavy bag. He wrapped his hands with tape, then began to pound away at the bag, letting his frustration flow out through his fists. He was so wrapped up in his boxing that he never noticed the gym door open so he was startled to hear a voice behind him.

“Excuse me, I have the breakfast Miss Potts requested for you.”

Steve spun around to find an older woman with silvery white hair standing just inside the doorway, a food cart in front of her. He wasn't expecting to see a man just as old come in the gym behind her, pushing another loaded cart.

“Sir, where would you like this cart? We brought some extra supplies for the gym fridge up as well.”

“Oh, I'm sorry, just park it anywhere near a bench. And thank you.” Steve lifted the heavy bag down from the chain and carried it over to the corner, where he deposited it with the others needing to be replaced. Tony had managed to find bags that stood up to an ordinary workout for Steve and Thor, but not anything that could last when they were stressed.

The man pushed a cart over to the fridge and started refilling the drinks and snacks that Tony kept stocked. Steve followed the older woman over to a bench, where she parked the cart before starting to pull covers off of trays. Steve hadn't expected a breakfast meal like this, just a simple cafeteria style breakfast. Instead, he had a full meal, even fresh biscuits and several kinds of jelly to choose from. There was also a curious brown spread in a bowl and the woman noticed him looking at it.

“That's apple butter, you can spread it on on biscuits just like jelly, it's homemade by a couple we know. I thought you might like to give it a try.” She spread a generous amount on a biscuit and offered it to Steve, who took a small bite, finding the flavor to be unusual but enjoying it.

“This is good, can you send some up with breakfast for the others? And I'd like some to keep up here if that's possible.”

“It's no trouble, we can keep you supplied as long as Tony can get the apples. I forget my manners sometimes, I'm Vivian and this is my husband Roy. We've been with SI since before Howard and Maria died, Tony had us promoted to managing the cafeteria here in the building but we agreed so long as we do the cooking for him and any guests.”

“Pleased to meet you. Can you join me, this is more than I think even I can eat.”

“Miss Potts said this early breakfast was for you so we made three times what the average man your size should eat. We ate while we cooked but we'd be glad to sit with you. You know, both Roy and I remember the war, we were just children but we both had older relatives who fought.”

Steve spent the next hour slowly eating breakfast while he talked with the older couple; they had seen everything change while he was stuck under the ice. It was refreshing for him to have someone to talk to who actually remembered some of the same places he did. He found out they both grew up in Brooklyn, within a few blocks of each other, and also near where Steve and Bucky had grown up. Steve discovered they knew people he had known in passing, like the butcher and tailor and other shop owners and he enjoyed finding out what had happened to these people. By the time Steve was done eating, his mood had improved and he hated to see the couple leave. However, they had both invited him to join them for breakfast in the building anytime.

By the time Steve was through working out, he was surprised to see Loki watching him. “Loki”

“I wonder if I might ask you something, Captain.”

“You can ask but I can't guarantee I'll answer. And you should call me Steve, everyone else does. If you're going to be working with us, then you deserve to be treated no different than the rest of us.”

“I appreciate the sentiment. I was wondering if you could tell me exactly what Tamara did yesterday? She was much weaker than is normal when she uses her gift.”

“You'd have to ask her exactly what she did. But I know she used her gift some before she tried to help Dum Dum. She told me she had already discussed it with Jake and he was prepared to care for her once we got out. All I know is he was having a heart attack and she kept him stable somehow, something they still can't do without machines and drugs. She saved his life and his granddaughter's life.”

“Have you been up to see her this morning?”

“No, JARVIS said Jake was with her when I got up. I remembered what she said about picking up our emotions so I decided it was better to blow off some steam before I go see her. Is she awake?”

“She was not yet awake when I stopped by, but she should wake soon. I do not wish the others to know but Thor is aware of what I did to her yesterday.”

Steve's eyes narrowed, “What did you do to her?”

“I merely induced a healing trance and linked her to myself and Thor. She already shares a connection with us and in this manner, her body could draw upon our energy to help her heal. The spell itself is common knowledge among our healers but seldom used because of the risks to the uninjured person.”

“Then thank you for helping her, I don't want to lose any more friends.”

“Captain, you are aware that you are likely to age much more slowly than your companions due to the changes made to your body? I believe only Dr. Banner is likely to suffer the same problem. Cherish your friends, but do not fear to lose them, for in doing so, you deprive yourself of enjoying their life.” 

Before Steve could reply, Loki vanished into nothing but a slight shimmer in the air. Steve took the elevator up to his floor and showered, letting the warmth of the shower dispel the cold he felt inside. As he was getting out of the shower, JARVIS interrupted the quiet.

“I'm sorry to bother you but Sir is wondering when you will be joining the rest of them upstairs.”

“I'm on my way up now, I'm gonna stop by to see Tamara first.”

“She is awake and will be joining the others in the media room for breakfast.”

“OK, I'm on my way up now.”


	29. Chapter 29

When Steve reached the main floor, he could hear everyone in the media room. It was still cold and wet outside but at least the storm had eased off. Sometimes Steve wondered if the storms were tied to Thor somehow because whenever he was angry, they could almost always count on a storm to follow. When he entered the room, he saw Tamara curled up on the loveseat, a light blanket tucked around her. Her lip was swollen and her right eye was bruised and almost swollen shut from where Tasha had attacked her the day before. Knowing how she usually healed quickly, Steve was concerned that these injuries appeared so fresh.

“Jake, is she OK? Shouldn't those be healed more?”

“She'll be fine in a couple of days, right now her body is focusing on recovering her energy and not on healing. Thor offered to use another healing stone but she insists they save them for emergencies. Trust her to know what she needs.”

Toi lifted her head from Tamara's lap and meowed a greeting at Steve as he sat down. Steve ruffled her fur and she purred in pleasure before curling back up in Tamara's lap. Tony and Pepper were together at the bar, a tablet on the bar between them and Clint and Tasha were at the other end with another tablet. Neither couple looked up as Thor and Loki entered the room, followed by Bruce.

Everyone had just gotten comfortable when the older couple from earlier that morning arrived in the elevator with several carts of food. Steve started to get up to help but Tamara had shifted and was leaned against him, dozing lightly and he hated to disturb her. Tony and Pepper helped the couple bring the carts in and they began to divide them among the various groups. Steve was a bit surprised when another cart was pushed over to where he sat with Tamara.

“Poor lass, I fixed something special for her, it should be easy to eat. Lord knows I've done it for Tony plenty of times.” Vivian took a plate with eggs and soft pancakes, covered in syrup and set it in front of Tamara. To Steve's surprise, she set a small bowl of sausage and eggs down for Toi and gave the cat a quick pat. She poured a cup of juice and gently shook Tamara. “Come on miss, you need to eat.”

Tamara opened her eyes just a little, then shook her head slightly. Roy came over and tapped his wife who allowed him to take her place. She left the room and returned a few minutes later with two more carts that she pushed over to Thor and Loki. Meanwhile, Roy had crouched down in front of Tamara and had the glass of juice in one hand. He took his other hand and reached out to Tamara, resting his hand on her shoulder. Steve could feel Tamara shiver beside him as she dozed.

“Tony, can you get the bag from underneath that last cart?” Pepper was the only one who didn't seem surprised when Tony carried the bag in without a word and opened it. Roy moved the cart to one side and picked Tamara up like she weighed nothing. Tony pulled a quilt from the bag and draped it over the back of the loveseat, leaving it open in the front. Roy set Tamara back down on the quilt and wrapped it around her, leaving only her face exposed.

“What are you doing?”

“JARVIS requested I bring some of my special soup up so I assumed someone was sick. Can't you feel her fever and yet she's shivering. The quilt will keep her body heat in, try to get her to drink some soup every hour and keep her warm. I left out some of the spices so it won't bother her lip.”

Tamara huddled down in the quilt and sighed contentedly as she dozed. Toi kneaded the quilt and nosed at it until Steve picked up one side to allow her to curl up directly on Tamara's lap. As he tucked the quilt back around them, everyone could hear Toi begin to purr loudly.

“Tony, we'll be staying in rooms on the 45th floor if you need us. JARVIS told us she's the one that’s been cooking for you lately so you'll need someone to cook until she's well, you let us know if she needs anything.” Vivian and Roy left the room, leaving the team to eat breakfast in silence. Tamara continued to sleep but Steve could feel her shiver occasionally.

“Steve, Agent Hill has sent a message that Mr. Dugan will be transferred shortly.”

“Where? I need to see him.”

“Ah Steve, I thought you wouldn't mind some company so I asked Hill to have Dugan moved here to the tower. I have a private nurse arranged to stay as well but I thought this might be easier on him.”

“You didn't have to do that, but thank-you.”

“I remember him visiting my dad a lot. He helped get security established, that was before he went to work for SHIELD. I haven't seen him since the funeral. Anyways, once he's settled and you've had time to talk, let him know I'd like to drop by to visit.”

“Sir, I took the liberty of having Vivian and Roy transfer to the 65th floor where Mr. Dugan is staying. They have already ordered supplies for the kitchen.”

“Thanks, J, did you tell them who was coming?”

“Yes Sir, they are both excited to see him again. Roy assures me that he will get the proper nutrition he needs in order to recover.”

“Is everything ready for him?”

“The room assigned to the nurse is fully prepared. Some of the items Mr. Dugan enjoys still need to be delivered but should arrive shortly before he does. Agent Hill says he should be here around lunch time.”

“Let Roy know that Steve will probably want to take lunch with him. We can handle things up here if he brings more soup by for Tam.”

“As you wish Sir. Agent Hill is waiting to debrief last night's mission as well. Shall I connect you?”

“Might as well get this over with.”

JARVIS connected the team with Agent Hill on the helicarrier and they went over the events in Sweden. Steve had to provide most of the details for what occurred inside after Tasha was knocked unconscious since Tamara was unavailable. He was unable to explain much of what Tamara had done for the civilians but Jake provided those details since Tamara had kept notes on her treatment of the injured. When Agent Hill was satisfied with the information provided, she ended the contact.


	30. Chapter 30

JARVIS sent an alert to Tony's tablet informing him that Dugan had arrived and was set up in the suite prepared for him. Steve took the elevator down to the 65th floor and stepped off into what was clearly meant to be a gathering area. He could hear soft laughter down one hall and he followed the noise. He stopped outside the open door of a bedroom and just watched quietly for a minute, still not believing it was real.

Dum Dum and Vivian were engaged in a game of cards and he was losing badly. Steve couldn't help but think back to the Commandos and how they used to play cards together. He stifled a laugh when he realized that Dum Dum was just as bad at cards now as he was during the war. Steve tapped on the door and Dugan looked up, then smiled. “Steve, come on in. Guess I wasn't hallucinating, after all, it really is you.”

“You doing OK?”

“Me, I'll be fine, too stubborn to let something like this get me down for long. Take a seat, I want to know everything that's happened to you.”

Steve spent the next several hours telling Dugan how he had crashed the plane and ended up frozen in the ice for 70 years. He told him how SHIELD had tried to fool him by making things look like they did when he went down but they made a mistake and played the broadcast of a baseball game that Steve had attended. He related how he had tried to adjust in this new time and how he had ended up working with the others when the Chitauri attacked. They talked about the Commandos and the Avengers and Dugan asked lots of questions before it seemed he was satisfied that his new team could cover his back like the Commandos did.

“So if I didn't imagine you, then is that lovely young lass real as well?”

“Tam, yeah she's a real person, sometimes she reminds me of Peggy.”

“Why?”

“She's stubborn and tough like Peggy, doesn't let anything stop her. You know, we saved her great-grandfather's life during the war, and her family dedicated themselves to helping others. Her mom was a teacher and her dad was a fireman, her uncle was a cop that died here in 2001.”

“You said was, so they're all gone?”

“Yeah, her mom was killed when someone tried to steal her car, her dad died in a fire and her uncle died when those towers were attacked. She told me how she learned self-defense at a young age and she had planned to join the military or something similar when she grew up. But her life got messed up and she ended up going through some rough years. We met her when Clint was injured while on vacation and we brought her back here. She got hurt bad helping him and at first, it just felt like we owed her for helping him. But gradually, she became part of our family and then the team.”

“What did she do to me?”

“I can't really explain because I don't know. She's a mutant; remember James Howlett, that mutant that worked with us a few months ? Remember how he could heal really fast ? Well, Tamara’s sorta like that, but she can heal other people just like she can heal herself. All I know for sure is that she kept you stable until other help arrived.”

“I'd like to thank her, not just for helping me; they told me my Lucy would have died if not for what your friend did.”

“I'm sure she'll want to meet you when she's feeling better.”

Dum Dum noticed the look that briefly crossed Steve's face. “What's wrong, and don't say nothing.”

“She's not well. She was already injured before all this happened but she was mostly physically healed; we've got Thor and Loki to thank for that. Then she used a lot of her own energy to help everyone in Sweden. I don't know much about how her ability works, just that it uses her own energy or life-force, as she calls it, to heal others. She usually just needs to rest and eat stuff with natural sugars afterward but now she's sick.”

“So what's the big deal, everyone gets sick.”

“Not everyone, Jimmy never got sick, remember? I've seen him but he doesn't remember us. He goes by Logan now, or Wolverine; that's his code name with the X-Men. Anyways, Tam's lived with us for several months and she never gets sick; injured yes but never sick.”

“People change, so what do you think of Tony?”

“It was rough when we first met; that was right before the Chitauri attack. Sometimes he reminds me so much of Howard but then other ways , he's just so different. We've become pretty good friends since then.”

“I lost touch with him after Howard and Maria died. Fury asked me to join SHIELD as a field agent and Peggy had joined several years earlier.”

“Tony thought she was dead, he said once she died around his tenth birthday.”

“That was her idea, she was going deep undercover and needed a whole new identity. Fury knew she was still alive but I didn't until she showed up after Howard and Maria died. Personally, I don't think their wreck was an accident, I think they were killed.”

“After they died, a friend of Howard's ran the company until Tony took it over; he tried to kill Tony.”

“Stane; never did trust him. Will you ask Tony to come see me later? If no one told him Peggy's still alive, maybe it's best I tell him.”

“What happened to her?”

“She had a good life, got married but she kept working. She got hurt, bad head injury and was in a coma for a short time. When she woke up, she had suffered permanent memory loss; now she has Alzheimer's and can't keep the time straight on what year it is. Listen, why don't you go back up and stay with your friend a while. I need a nap and there's no sense in you staying down here while I sleep.”

“You sure?”

“Go, I'm not going anywhere for a couple weeks. We've got plenty of time to catch up.”

Steve headed back to the elevator but he didn't go back upstairs. Instead, he took the elevator down to the lobby and started to leave the building but stopped instead by the security desk where he grabbed a coat and baseball cap; pulling the cap low down over his eyes to conceal his identity.

Exiting the building, he headed towards the park and found an empty bench where he could watch the families with their children. Right now he was so confused by recent events. He wondered why no one told him that some of the Commandos were still alive but he also wondered why they never tried to contact him. He was grateful that Tamara had been able to help Dugan but he was worried about her. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts he never realized that someone had joined him on the bench.

He was a bit startled when someone jumped up from the bench beside him and ran towards the play area where Steve could see a scuffle of some kind taking place. Several adults gathered round the fighting children but Steve was shocked to hear some of them encouraging the fight instead of breaking it up. When several people grabbed a woman and held her, Steve hurried over and pushed his way into the crowd.

One man tried to stop him but Steve shoved him to the side, pulling the woman free in the process. Steve pulled several children away from the fight as gently as possible. When he reached the last two fighters, he was surprised that one of the children wasn't fighting, merely curled into a ball on the ground as though they were trying to protect themselves. The woman cried out and gathered the child into her arms as Steve glared at the assembled adults.

“You should be ashamed of yourselves, encouraging children to attack another child.”

“Damn mutants, we don't need their kind around here.” Someone spat at the woman then turned away before Steve could tell who did it.

“C'mon miss, I'll walk you and the child home.”

“No, we'll be fine.” She turned with the child whimpering in her arms and Steve was shocked at the way the little boy's face looked. He realized that the boy couldn't have been more than four or five years old and it sickened him that some of the children beating on the boy had to be at least twice his age.

“If you won't let me walk you home, then at least let me have a doctor I know take a look at the boy. I promise you'll both be safe.”

The woman hesitated then allowed Steve to take the boy from her arms. Steve cradled the injured child against his chest and turned to head back to the tower. The woman followed him but stopped to grab a pair of backpacks she'd left lying on the bench.

Steve tapped his phone, “JARVIS, ask Jake to meet me in the infirmary. I've got an injured boy I'd like him to look at.”

“He will be waiting when you arrive.”


	31. Chapter 31

Steve entered Stark Tower and when security moved to intercept the woman, Steve took her arm and guided her towards the elevators. After the doors closed, the woman moved towards the back wall and stood there, clearly nervous as she clutched the backpacks tightly.

“You can relax miss. I promise, no harm will come to you or the boy.”

“Alex, his name's Alex.”

“I'm Steve, what's your name?”

“Emily”

“Captain, Sir wishes to know if anyone needs to be called for your guests.”

Emily looked around, clearly surprised to hear another voice.

“Sorry, that's JARVIS. But he's right, is there someone we can call to come get you? You might need a hand getting Alex home.”

“No, my dad died a couple months ago. The rest of the family wants nothing to do with us because we're mutants. Alex's my cousin, his parents didn't want him when they realized he was a mutant so my dad took him; said it was better than a foster home.”

The elevator reached the infirmary level and Steve led Emily off the elevator where Jake was waiting for them. “This is Jake, Alex'll be safe with him.” Steve and Emily followed Jake into an empty room and Steve laid the boy down gently.

Alex whimpered a little when Jake touched his cheek, concerned about the bruising already spreading over his face. “JARVIS, can you scan for injuries?”

After a few seconds, JARVIS replied, “He is showing several broken bones, including the left cheek around his eye. Also multiple hairline cracks along both his upper and lower left arm and his left leg.”

“Emily, if it's alright with you, I'd like to do draw some blood for testing. For him to be bruising so easily suggests a bigger problem.” Emily looked at Jake, then at Alex and nodded. “Steve, why don't you take Emily upstairs to get something to eat?”

“No, I'm staying with Alex. I promised my dad I'd take care of him.”

“OK; Steve, can I talk to you outside a minute?”

Steve followed Jake back out into the hall and waited as he closed the door. “Steve, can you contact Charles and let him know we have two more children in need of his help?” Steve was puzzled, Emily didn't look like a child. “Emily's not an adult, I don't know how old she is but I've been around enough people in my life to know when a child is trying to pass as an adult. My guess is they've been living on the streets, they need a safe place to go.”

“Sure, and I'll see if Roy or Vivian can make something he can eat. JARVIS, can you get an estimate on clothes sizes and ask Pepper to get them something?” Steve turned to return to the elevator as Jake headed back into the room.

“Emily, we would like to help you both, but I need you to be honest with me. Do you have a home?”

Emily shook her head 'no' but refused to look at Jake. “You're not an adult either are you?” Emily drew closer to Alex and Jake could tell she was afraid by the way she tensed up. “No, it's OK, I promise. We have some friends, they're all mutants and they can give you and Alex a safe place to live and grow up. But it would help if you'd be honest with me, I can see Alex's eyes but does he have any other mutation?”

“He can see in the dark, my dad guessed it was because his eyes are so much like a cat's. I can change my appearance a little, it's how I make myself look older. Sometimes I just change my hair color or make it look like I've got a tan.”

“Steve's gonna get you some new clothes and he'll have something to eat waiting when we go upstairs. How old are you and Alex?”

Emily was quiet for several minutes, “Alex's 5 and I'm 15. Please don't send us to foster care, they'll never let us stay together.”

“I can promise you that won't happen. I'm gonna put some braces on Alex's arm and leg to help them heal but I can't do anything here to help with the facial fractures. I need to draw blood for testing first.” Jake drew three tubes of blood, then set them in the proper machines for JARVIS to run the tests. He wrapped soft braces around Alex's arm and leg, then easily picked the boy up. Emily followed him to the elevator where he took them up to the main floor. JARVIS directed him to take the children to the media room where Roy had brought them both something to eat.

When Jake entered the media room, he was glad to see that Tamara was awake and eating. Loki and Thor were playing games on the big screen TV while Steve was sketching on the love-seat. Jake carried Alex over to the empty love-seat and sat him down gently, Emily hovering by his side. Toi climbed down from Tamara's lap and climbed up beside Alex, nosing at his hand until he started petting her. Alex looked at the bowl of soup on the table and then at Emily, as if asking if it was safe for them to eat. When she nodded, he dug into the soup like he was starving. Emily picked up the second bowl of soup and ate it more slowly, watching everyone carefully the entire time.

“Jake, Charles said he'd send someone to pick them up but it'll be a while. Remy and Hank are going to come get them, they're driving down since the kids are safe here.”

“That's fine, Alex will probably need to rest after he eats but I think they can both stay in here with us.”

Loki had noticed the bruises covering Alex's face and his eyes darkened. “Who has beat this child?”

“It was some other kids, they did it because he's a mutant. The worst part was the adults urging them on, that's why I brought them both back here.”

Tamara started to get up but it seemed Jake knew what she wanted. “No, you don't have the strength right now.”

“I'll be fine Jake, let me help him.”

“No, not until we know more about why you're not well. I'm still waiting on test results on both you and Alex here.”

“I could heal the child, if you will permit it. Healing bruises such as those is a simple matter.”

“It's not just bruises Loki, he has broken bones around his left eye. The braces are for hairline cracks on his arm and leg.”

“Jake, I have test results for you on Alex. His iron levels are low and testing for additional vitamin levels revealed a deficiency in both Vitamin D and calcium.”

“Emily, I need to know what you've been eating lately.”

“Mostly vegetables I get from the market, I didn't have a way to cook meat. Sometimes we had can pasta. Will Alex be OK?”

“I think he'll be fine, sometimes a vegetarian diet can cause low iron and Vitamin D. I'll give him some supplements and let Hank know, he'll make sure Alex gets a proper diet.”

“You mean it's my fault? I didn't know.”

“No, it's not your fault, the family that abandoned both of you is to blame. You've done what you could for him and we'll make sure you both get what you need. Now, if you've been living on the streets, you probably haven't had a good bath in a while right?”

“We used to go to the gym and swim so we could use the showers. My dad bought us memberships and no one ever said anything because we always showered after we went swimming.”

Loki sat down next to Alex and ran his hands gently over his body, not quite touching him. “Jake, these injuries are easy to repair.”

Alex looked at Emily and then Loki, clearly in pain. Emily nodded, then watched as a green glow spread around Loki's hands. Loki moved his hands closer to Alex's face and the glow brightened as the broken bones healed and the bruises vanished. He then repeated the process on both his arm and leg and the glow vanished. “It will take several hours for the spell to finish but so long as he is gentle, it will continue. I blocked the pain so he would be more comfortable. I regret I could not do more but my abilities are limited in this type of magic.”

Pepper had returned to the tower while Loki was healing Alex and she carried two large bags. “I got you both several outfits, let me show you to a bedroom so you can get clean and change.” Emily picked Alex up and followed Pepper to a pair of connecting bedrooms. “They each have their own bath and JARVIS can monitor the rooms in case you need anything. Go ahead and relax as long as you like and you can join us or stay in here, we'll let you know when Hank gets here.”

“Is he a nice guy?”

“Hank is a very nice man, although he can look a bit scary because of his mutation. But I can promise you one thing, you will both be safe and you will get to stay together.”

Emily set Alex down in a chair beside the bed while Pepper set one bag on the bed. She held the other bag out to Emily, who took it slowly. “Why are you helping us? Most people treat us like animals.”

“Emily, not everyone thinks mutants are bad or wrong or whatever people told you. I have several friends who are mutants. That girl you saw here, the one that's hurt? Well she's a mutant and I consider her almost a sister. Do you have any idea where you are right now?”

“Not really”

“Well trust me on this, no one would dare try to hurt you while you're here. We've got plenty of guards and if they get past the guards, the team will take them care of them. None of us like to see kids mistreated, especially for something they have no control over like being born a mutant.”

“Will this JARVIS guy be watching us in the bathroom?”

Pepper chuckled, “I'm sorry, JARVIS isn't a person, he's an AI. He won't watch anything but he does monitor every room. If you need anything, just ask out loud, if JARVIS can't provide what you need, then he'll let us know. The only one likely to disturb you is Toi; that's the cat you saw, she seems to enjoy playing in showers. I didn't think to ask Jake if Alex will need any help.”

“Miss Potts, I will be monitoring him closely and will call Jake at the first sign of problems.”

“Will that be OK Emily? Will you trust Jake to help him if he needs it?” Emily nodded, watching as Alex pulled clothes from the bag on the bed. He laid a pair of dark gray sweat pants to one side as he studied the Avengers themed t-shirts Pepper had chosen before laying one with Hulk along side the pants. He took out the new package of Avengers themed underwear and again, chose the ones with Hulk. Alex picked the clothes up and limped into the bathroom and closed the door but Pepper could hear JARVIS instructing him where to find everything he needed. Emily looked a bit relieved, then took her bag and went into the adjoining bedroom as Pepper left the room.

Pepper returned to the media room where Steve was telling the others about how Alex was injured. "These adults were actually encouraging the other children. I couldn't believe it, especially seeing how young Alex is. One man spit on Emily, he reminded me of the Nazis."

"I was attacked more than once because of being a mutant; it didn't matter to some people that my ability allows me to help people. All they cared was that I was different." Tamara pulled the blanket tighter around herself where she curled up on the couch.

"It's not right, treating people like they're less than human. I understand treating people different based on jobs or how they behave, but they can't help being born a mutant."

"Sir, guests have arrived from the institute. I have already informed Emily and Alex and they will be joining us shortly."

"Thanks JARVIS."

A few minutes later, the elevator opened to reveal Remy and Hank. Remy joined Tamara on the love-seat and she leaned over to give him a hug. Hank followed him into the room a few minutes later. 

"Cher, how do you feel?"

"I've felt better Remy. Hi Hank."

"Hello Tamara. Jake, can I speak to you privately for a minute?"

Jake led Hank out to the deck but they returned a few minutes later. "I'll introduce the kids to Remy while you talk to Tam.”

Remy left the room with Pepper and Jake and Hank took his place beside her on the love-seat. “Tam, I need to know if you've been exposed to anything unusual since you were abducted?”

“Not that I know of, why?”

“After you were found, Jake asked me to take some samples back to see if Steve's serum or what happened in Asgard might cause problems for you. He told me about what he had observed and JARVIS provided data on changes observed in you since you were first taken to Asgard. I sent Tony and Bruce both emails and they also provided more information.”

“Is something wrong with me?”

“No, actually, if the simulations are accurate, you're better off now than before you were injured.”

“I don't understand.”

“What do you remember about the danger room?”

“It's just a training simulator.”

“No, it's far more than that. We use the danger room to create virtual realities, kinda like the holodeck on Star Trek. I can also use it as an alternative to physical testing. I uploaded your information to the program and Charles linked Cerebro to the system to provide more information about you for the simulator. I got some very interesting results so I ran your DNA again; your DNA has been altered.”

“I don't understand, how could it be altered?”

“I don't know for sure but we have seen people who were once normal become mutants after exposure to triggers. There is still a lot of unmapped DNA, it's possible the gene is carried on one of those strands latently. If that's true, then a lot more people could be potential carriers of the gene.”

“You mean something like Hulk or what?”

Hank looked around the room and saw that most of the Avengers were present. “Exactly; after finding the altered gene in Tamara now, I told Charles and he tested it by looking for her with Cerebro. Tamara wasn't the only person he found in the tower though. He can use Cerebro to look for mutants or humans either one but these people he could see as both mutants and humans; it shouldn't be possible.”

This caught Tony's attention. “Do we need to be concerned?”

“If we're right, no.”

“Hank, just what are you getting at?”

“The first time Charles tried looking for Tamara it was daytime and he found half a dozen other persons who also showed up as both human and mutant. He tried again a few days later, only late in the evening and again found her and the other people.”

“I don't understand.”

Hank was quiet for a minute, “Charles came to me after the second attempt; he told me that he thinks it was all of you he was sensing.”

Everyone started trying to talk at once and Hank just sat and waited for the hubbub to calm down. “He's not positive but I can share my testing protocols with JARVIS and he can confirm or deny this theory. I just thought it was only right to let all of you know.”

“Sir, if I may interrupt?”

“Go ahead J”

“I believe that Dr. McCoy's theory has merit; it could explain the anomalies I have noted recently when recording training sessions."

“What, you've never mentioned anything.”

“Indeed Sir, but my programming only requires that I alert anyone to conditions which are dangerous. None of the anomalies I have noted are dangerous.”

Jake and Remy returned with the children; both were clearly startled at the sight of Hank, covered in blue fur. Hank offered Tony a flash drive. “My research data is on here, it's up to all of you whether you investigate further. We need to get going, Charles wants us back as soon as possible so we can get them settled in before supper.”


	32. Chapter 32

Tony picked up a tablet and plugged in the flash drive. JARVIS opened the files and data began to fill the screen. "Bruce, this make any sense to you?"

Bruce studied the data, then highlighted a section. "Some, just give me a couple of days to study it. It would help to have fresh blood samples from everyone. If I understand this data, Charles could sense even Thor and Loki."

"We'll deal with that tomorrow, it's late."

Tamara staggered off to bed, as did most of the others. When morning came, Steve was up early as usual and off for his morning run. When he got back to the tower, he headed for the gym to workout. After a couple of hours, he was joined by Tasha and Clint. He watched them for a few minutes before moving to the weights. When he was done; he decided to ask JARVIS if Dugan was awake. "JARVIS, is Dugan awake yet?"

"He is sir, I took the liberty of asking if you could join him for breakfast; he is looking forward to it."

Steve took a quick shower in the gym and took the elevator down to join Dugan for breakfast. He was surprised to find him waiting on the deck in the cool October air. "I thought they'd still have you in bed."

"Not this old dog; I been through this before; they just cleaned out the plumbing. I've got a list of exercises to start next week but for now, I walk."

"I can show you the gym. Tony made some improvements after everyone moved in."

Steve and Dugan took the elevator up to the gym for a quick tour of the equipment. Then they met Happy in the garage to get a car so they could do a little shopping. Steve wanted to thank Tamara for helping Dugan and he thought new art supplies would be appreciated.

Steve drove them to Tam's favorite art supply store, knowing they would have the perfect selection. It didn't take long to have a small box full of supplies together and they were back in the car. Neither man felt like returning to the tower yet so Steve decided to show him some of the places still around from his childhood. The first stop was the bakery where they picked up some sweets, including the cheesecake that Tamara had loved.

They spent the next several hours wandering around the city and ended up in Brooklyn as the day wore on. When Dugan started to get tired, Steve turned the car around. As they were waiting at a light, Dugan noticed a small antique store.

"We got time for one more stop?" Dugan pointed at the store nestled between two other buildings.

"Sure" Steve pulled the car into an empty space in front of the store.

When they went inside, they could see an elderly couple behind a counter with a young boy. The store was stocked with the usual knick knacks but they also saw a few oddities.

Steve saw an old crossbow lying on a shelf and he picked it up gently. Even to his inexperienced eyes, it looked like a well-made weapon. He carried it towards the counter to ask the price, thinking Clint would enjoy it. Dugan was approaching the counter with a small box. Inside the box was a matching set of throwing knives.

“How much for these?” Steve asked, indicating the bow and the knives.

The boy spoke to the old woman in a foreign language and she replied. He nodded, then turned to Steve, “Ama says you must finish looking; that you have not found what brought you here. Then she will name the price for all.”

Steve was puzzled, “I don’t understand.”

“This is a special place, only those with a need for one of our treasures will find their way here. The item may not be for you but rather someone you know. Please, finish looking, I am sure you will find what brought you here.”

“You noticed the store first, guess you should be the one looking.”

“I’m tired Steve, you look. All I was thinking when I saw the store was that I wanted to get your friend a gift to say thank you.”

The boy had pulled another chair up and Dugan settled himself in it as Steve started to wander through the store again. From the outside, the store looked tiny, just a hole in the wall really, but inside it was larger than it looked. After a few minutes, he noticed the boy was following him. “How do I do this, do I just wander around until I find something?”

“Sometimes, if you think about the person, you will be led towards the item you seek.”

Steve tried to focus on Tamara and it helped, he turned back the way he had come until stopping before a small collection of rocks. Curious as to why rocks would be of interest, he picked one up but he didn’t notice anything unusual about it. He laid it back down and picked up a large dirt encrusted rock from the back of the pile, finding it warm in his hands. He dropped it in surprise but the boy deftly caught it.

“Is this what you were seeking?”

“No, I mean I don’t think so. It reminds me of her but it’s not quite right.”

“You are not surprised at the magic in our shop.”

“If you knew who I was, you’d understand; but magic no longer surprises me.” Steve continued down the aisle before stopping in front of a stack of books. Again he felt drawn towards something and he selected several books from the stack. He knew though that he still hadn't found the right gift for Tamara and he continued to search the store. He finally made his way back towards the counter, frustrated and unsatisfied. The boy had laid the stone and the books on the counter and Steve stepped up to ask for a price, deciding it was time for them to leave.

When he approached the counter, he could see several pieces of jewelry in a glass display. One piece, in particular, caught his attention and he pointed to a delicate woven armband of silver inset with several dusty stones. “That band, that’s perfect for Tamara.”

The old woman smiled and began to box up everything except the armband. She spoke to the boy in their language and he simply nodded, pulling a cloth bag from under the counter. “Ama says she was not sure until you found the band. But you seek a gift for one who is both warrior and healer, do you not?”

Steve just nodded as the old woman spoke to the boy again.

“Good, she says this has been waiting for many years to find a new owner. Please, take all these as well, she knows who you are and that these are for your friends.” The boy added a small package to the box of items. “She says this is meant for you but to open it when you are home. The price for these items has already been paid in full.”

“What, how?”

“We are not allowed to sell anything here, it is part of the magic. But everyone who finds their way to us has already paid in blood. Your sacrifices have paid for these items. It is not likely you will ever see us again, goodbye, and good luck.”

Before Steve could protest being given the items, a fog began to fill the room and when it cleared, he and Dugan were standing in an empty alley with the box at their feet. Both men were quiet as Steve picked the box up and they returned to the car.

“I’m going to ask someone to look at this stuff before we take it into the tower.”

“Someone at SHIELD? They have contacts who are magic users.”

“No, I don't trust many of the people there, I just can't explain it.” Steve pulled out his phone and punched a number in. “JARVIS, can you ask Loki to meet us in the garage when we return? I've got some things I need him to look at.”

When Steve pulled into the parking garage, Loki and Thor were both waiting for him. “JARVIS said you had some items you wish me to examine?”

“Yeah, we stopped at a small store and found these things. The people who ran it said that these items were meant for us and they mentioned magic. I don't want to take the risk of bringing something dangerous into the tower.”

“Can you take me to the store, I can find out more that way.”

“Actually no. They said something about not being able to sell the items, that everyone who found the store had paid in blood. They said our sacrifices had paid for them; they knew who I was. After they told us that, a fog filled the room and when it cleared, we were standing in a vacant alley instead of a store. Can you make sure these things are safe?”

Loki took the box from the back seat and removed the items, placing them on the ground. He murmured quietly and soon a glow spread from his hands to cover the objects. After a few seconds, the glow began to fade over everything except the armband. “Only the armband has any real enchantment on it that I can detect, the rest have just a minor enchantment. Whom is the armband meant for?”

“For Tamara, they said it had been waiting for a new owner and they asked if I was looking for a gift for one who was both healer and warrior. Can you tell what kind of enchantment is on it, is it dangerous?”

“I cannot tell but there is a store nearby where we may be able to get answers.”

“You go ahead Steve, I'm gonna go up and rest a while. Go find out if that thing is safe for your friend.”

Steve placed all the items back in the box and put it back in the car as both Loki and Thor joined him. Loki gave him directions back to the small bookstore where they had met the magic user several days earlier. When they arrived, Steve grabbed the box and followed them inside. He found Loki standing at a counter as an older man tried to order him to leave. Not knowing what was going on but wanting to avoid a scene, Steve hurried over and placed the box on the counter.

“I don't know why you're trying to get him to leave but Loki just brought me here. He said he met a magician here and I need help.” Steve indicated the box, “I got this stuff from a store in Brooklyn that disappeared and Loki said the items are enchanted but he can't tell what kind of enchantment. I was hoping someone could tell us if they are safe or not.”

The old man studied Steve for a minute, then peered into the box and poked around at the items inside. “You wait”. He disappeared into the back of the store and returned a few minutes later with the man Loki and Thor remembered.

“Greetings, I understand you received some items from the gypsy.” He poked through the box and pulled out the armband. “Ah, it has been many years since this has seen the light of day.”

“All I need to know is if it is dangerous. The old woman indicated it was meant for Tamara.”

“That is the healer girl, is it not? Yes, this is safe for her, the magic will work for no one else. I cannot tell you what form the magic will take, it changes with every bearer."

"What about this other stuff?"

"The only enchantment on them is to guide it to the next owner, there is no danger in them."

"OK, as long as you're sure." Steve picked up the box and left the bookstore with Thor and Loki. When they returned to the tower, he carried the box to the elevator and then into the media room.


	33. Chapter 33

Almost everyone was gathered to watch a movie and Steve could hear them trying to decide what to watch. Tamara was curled up on the loveseat with a blanket wrapped around her as Steve set the box down on the table. "Hey guys, I've got some stuff here for everyone."

As the others gathered to inspect the box, Steve pulled the armband out of the box. He carried it over to Tamara, "This is for you, Tam. Loki says it has some kind of magic but all we know is that it isn't dangerous."

Tamara took the armband and studied it for a few minutes. "I like it, I'll clean it up later." She laid the armband down on the table. "Jake won't let me cook yet so Tony is ordering Chinese tonight. We were just waiting for you."

"Oh, JARVIS, just get my usual but I'd like sesame chicken instead of General Tso tonight. Did the delivery arrive from the bakery?"

"It did and it has been put away in the kitchen. Mr. Dugan was wondering if you will be joining him for dinner."

"JARVIS, ask him to join us and get his order as well."

"He states he is delighted to join you. He will be up in a few minutes."

By the time supper had arrived, Dugan had joined them as well. Steve had introduced him to the others and he was busy telling everyone about some of the stunts Steve had pulled during the war. Steve just sat back and enjoyed his supper as Dugan entertained the others. Steve was sketching as he listened to the stories Dugan was telling, occasionally adding his own comments. Dugan was an excellent story-teller and his descriptions helped Steve recall the events that for him had happened only months earlier. He was telling everyone about a raid on a Hydra facility when Tamara got up abruptly and left the room, leaving her supper behind. When she didn't return in a few minutes, Toi got up and left as well. When Tamara didn't return, Loki went looking for her but he was unable to find her anywhere.

“JARVIS, where has Tamara gone?”

“She has not left the building but she does not wish to be disturbed.”

“She is upset by something.”

“I cannot comment on her mental state, however, Toi is with her.”

“Can you tell me what might have upset her?”

JARVIS was quiet and then he began to replay Dugan’s story. “Based upon data I have collected, it is possible the event Mr. Dugan was describing was the one involving her great-grandfather.”

“Where is she now?”

“She has gone to the roof but declines company.”

Loki ignored any further comments by JARVIS and teleported to the roof, keeping himself invisible as he watched over Tamara. He wasn't sure why the fate of this mortal concerned him so much but she was important to him, to all of them. She trusted him even after she knew of the evil acts he had committed; she believed he could redeem himself but she did it without the blind faith of his adopted family. As he stood silent watch over her, she took up a set of pan pipes and began to play a mournful song upon them. Loki cast a shield spell over the roof to protect them, then closed his eyes and enjoyed the music.

When the music stopped, Loki realized how cold it was outside on the roof and he conjured a fur from his room as Tamara huddled against the outer wall. He wrapped her up in the fur and picked her up like a small child; then teleported them back inside and carried her into the kitchen. He was trying to figure out how to get the coffee maker to produce the cocoa that he knew Tamara favored when Tony came in.

“Whatcha doing Lokes?”

“I need the machine to make the drink Tamara likes, not that vile coffee you drink; she must be warmed up.”

Tony placed a hand on her shoulder, “Geez, what’d she do, go outside?”

“Yes, she was upset by something and left. When I inquired as to her whereabouts, JARVIS informed me she was on the roof but she wished to be alone. I was concerned and brought her back inside. You must watch her better, she will try to hide when she is upset.”

Tamara shivered in the chair as Tony handed her a large mug full of cocoa. “Lots of marshmallows, although how she prefers that over coffee I’ll never know. Can you bring her back in with the rest of us, Dugan’s already gone back to his floor for the night.”

Loki carried Tamara back into the media room behind Tony and sat her back down on the love-seat. He could see the concern in Thor’s face so instead of sitting down with her, he allowed Thor to take his place.

“Why is she so cold?”

“She was upset and went outside unprepared for the chill.” Loki tried to take the pipes from Tamara but she only clutched them tighter, then she stared beyond everyone towards a dark corner. Toi climbed into her lap and swatted her hand; she looked down and pulled Toi into a hug, whispering as she did.

 _“Ama, ajută-mă”_ (Ama, help me)

 _“Mi-e frică, ceea ce în cazul în care nu sunt suficient de puternic.”_ (I'm scared, what if I'm not strong enough.)

 _“Am nevoie de tine, te rog, nu lăsaţi-mă să fac acest lucru singuri, dacă nu reușesc?”_ (I need you, please, don't leave me to do this alone, what if I fail?)

 _“Îmi pare rău, dar a trecut mult timp de când am făcut asta, mă sperie mă voi pierde.”_ (I'm sorry, but it's been so long since I've done this, it scares me I will lose myself.)

Tamara reached out and grabbed the armband off of the table, then slipped it onto her left arm so the base was just above the elbow. The band began to pulse with light and abruptly vanished, only to reappear as a tattoo on her arm. She picked her pan pipes back up and started a slow tune, all her attention focused on the corner of the room.

Jake and Steve re-entered the room to the sound of the pipes as the music began to speed up. “Loki, cast a binding spell on that corner, quickly.”

Not knowing what was going on but trusting that Jake did know what Tamara was doing, he cast a binding spell on the corner, one strong enough to hold almost any magical creature. As he completed the spell, the corner began to glow with a soft light. When the light faded away, a woman in a long dark blue dress was left standing in the corner. She glanced around the room, then simply walked over towards Tamara.

Realizing that whoever this was just stepped through his binding spell like it didn't exist, Loki stepped in front of Tamara, magic glowing around his hands. “Who are you and how did you get past my spell?”

“You can relax, I would never do anything to harm her, Jake knows me. As for your spell, nothing can stop love from getting through, I’m here because she needs me.”

“This is the lady Nadia Crisco.”

“Don’t you start that lady stuff with me old man, I know all your secrets now. And you, Loki of Asgard; a very good binding spell on such short notice, should do to keep anything she encounters contained.”

Nadia stepped around Loki and just stared at Thor for a few seconds before he got up and moved. She sat down beside Tamara and wrapped her arms around her, one hand stroking her hair as she whispered to her. As Nadia continued to speak with her, she relaxed until she was sleeping peacefully against the back of the couch. Nadia turned and studied the rest of the gathered group. “Before I go, I have some information for all of you, but you may not like what you hear.”

She stayed by Tamara’s side but looked to Loki and Thor who stood watching “Thor and Loki, you will both face hard choices very soon and may have to make a decision the other will not like. But trust in each other above all else and it will work out the way it is meant to.” 

She turned to face Tony and Pepper “You too will be tested soon; it is up to you to know who to call for help when the need arises. But don't be afraid to face this challenge alone, you will come out stronger than before.” 

She turned to face Natasha, “Your loyalties will be tested, you must decide who you trust the most. But this time you cannot trust the archer to help you for he will be needed elsewhere.” 

She looked at Clint seated beside Tasha, “when the time comes, you must take Tamara and hide her away. There are those who would use her to get to all of you.” 

She addressed Bruce next, “One of your friends will call upon you in a time of need. You need to understand your inner beast in order to help them through their own conflict.”

Finally she turned to Jake and Steve. “Captain Rogers, as my father-in-law never got to say it, I want to say thank you for him. He told everyone you would return when the world needed you again and I knew he was right but that I would not live to see it. My granddaughter could have found no better friends than she has now. Steve, you must face a ghost from your past, one who has lost everything and you are the only one who can save them. Only you are strong enough to fight back when they push you away and deny you. If you keep fighting for them and don't give up, you will eventually succeed.”

Nadia walked across the room and took Jake’s hand. “Jake, old friend, watch over her, don't let her forget us. You have some of the answers she will be seeking about who she is and why this burden is upon her. Look to the old stories and legends, the answers are there. It’s not quite the end of the world, though it may seem like it at times. Use the lullaby when she is restless, she will still respond.” Nadia turned and looked at Tamara sleeping peacefully, then simply faded away.

Everyone turned to look at Jake but it was Tony who spoke first "what the hell just happened?"

Jake went and sat beside Tamara, "it's a long story. But the short version is that Tamara has access to more than one gift. Nadia, her grandmother, is a seer and Tamara inherited the ability to see between worlds. The Rom believe that when people die, they move to a different plane of existence. Occasionally, they can interact with this plane and that's what we call ghosts. When she was little, Tamara accidentally called a person who tried to harm her so Nadia blocked her ability. She learned the techniques to call but never got to actually do it after that. Nadia intended to release this block on her thirteenth birthday but died before she could. She left a letter with me as a precaution that instructed Tamara in how to remove the block but it could only be done when her birthday fell on what is known as an awakening moon. Tamara can also reach elementals this way but most are like children, playful and easily distracted. And it’s not really Tamara calling them, the magic is in those pipes of hers, it’s a spell that was cast upon them by the original owner."

“I thought mutants could only have one mutation.”

“Why, quite a few have more than one. Take Kurt for example, he can teleport and he has a visible mutation. It’s more common for additional mutations to be physical in nature. Tamara’s healing comes from her being the one destined to carry on with the pledge to protect this planet. If she had not accepted this burden, her healing would have remained limited to minor injuries or render her unable to heal for days if she drained herself; like she did when you first discovered she could heal. The reason her healing is stronger now is because the bracelets augment her own ability to a much higher level.”

“So why didn't she just tell us what we need to know instead of giving us those riddles?”

“Thor and I are familiar with seers. They do not say things directly because it could affect the outcome. Every one of you made a choice in the past that cost you dearly but your lives are richer now, in spite of that cost. Sometimes, we must suffer a bit to be able to enjoy the pleasures life can later bring.”

“I don’t understand”

“It’s quite simple Dr. Banner. If you could go back and prevent the Hulk from being created, would you? Has the good you've done outweighed the damage you directly caused? Not damage from those chasing you, but the damage you personally caused?”

Bruce was quiet for several minutes, then he nodded “Yeah, I think it has. I helped a lot of people while I was on the run, people without access to medical care. And Hulk sometimes helped people, even before you came and we joined the Avengers. It just usually ended with the military coming to hunt us down.”

“What about you Stark? Would you have made that trip that led you to be tortured in a cave but also led to your greatest creation? Would you watch someone die for you, so you could escape?”

Tony was silent “I don't know, I’d like to think I'd suffer through it all again, but I really don't know. If I knew what the future would bring, then probably but if all I knew was that I'd suffer, the person I was then would say no. The person I am now is nothing like I was then, so I honestly don't know.”

“And you Captain, would you have taken your friend on that mission if you knew he'd die? Would you have crashed that plane if you knew it would be for nothing, that you would be frozen and lost in time, that your sacrifice would just trade one large evil for a bunch of smaller evils?”

Steve didn't hesitate “I couldn't have stopped Bucky even if I wanted to. And I would have crashed that plane, one life means nothing against the people who would have died if I didn't”.

Loki turned to look at Tasha and Clint, “And what of the archer and the spider? Would you change your past? Would you still join SHIELD or was it a decision further back that shaped who you are?”

He studied the clearly uncomfortable group, “Only the Captain is sure he would make the same choices, some because they were never his choices to make. The rest of you think you know what you would do, but you still doubt yourself. So in the end, it could have been a lone soldier, lost in time, trying to save the world when the Chitauri came. They would not have needed my power and they would have won easily. So tell me, were your sacrifices worth it?” Loki teleported from the room before anyone could answer him.

Everyone was uncomfortable about Loki’s questions and slowly they returned to their own rooms with Jake carrying Tamara off to her room. Everyone found it hard to sleep that night, memories of the events that led them to where they were now plagued their sleep. Finally, Jake took his pipes and went to the media room. “JARVIS, can you broadcast this to everyone’s rooms, it will help them sleep.” As Jake began to play a soft melody, JARVIS turned on speakers in each bedroom and allowed the music to begin softly before raising the level slightly but still keeping it low. Finally, each member of the Avengers drifted off to a sleep filled with memories of the good things they had done but none of the bad memories. As dawn arrived, Jake put the pipes down and retired to his own room to catch a nap, knowing JARVIS would never reveal he had stayed up all night.

Tamara was feeling better once she awoke and she joined everyone for breakfast, as did Dugan. When Steve got up for his early run, he met Roy and Vivian in the elevator on his way back and helped them carry supplies to the kitchen. As he showered, he could smell the appetizing aroma of bacon and eggs begin to fill the tower. Once he was changed, he met the others as they filed into the kitchen for breakfast, even Tony was up early with only Jake sleeping late.

“So Tam, Pep and I got the details together for the SI carnival, JARVIS can give the info to you so you can coordinate with your friends to help that little girl. Her dad is coming in for an interview today.”

Before Tony could say anything else, Tamara had hugged his neck, “Thank you, Tony.”

Tony chuckled, “Hey, I’m not making promises but I told HR to try to find him something, even if it’s just maintenance. He needs better insurance and this way one of them can be there for the kids, especially when she gets out of the hospital. They’ll make him an offer, if he accepts, we’ll have her moved in just a couple of hours.”

Pepper was more realistic, “You know even if she’s transferred, there are no guarantees. She’ll have a long hard road to recovery, even with the foundation’s help.”

Tamara was smiling but still realistic, “I know, but I want to visit her when I can.”

“You can visit but no more healing, you don’t want people getting suspicious. You make up your salves and lotions and we’ll use them, but nothing else hands on unless she takes a turn for the worse, agreed?”

“I don’t like it, but OK, I won’t help directly unless I get Jake’s opinion first, deal?”

“Deal kiddo, so you want to go let your friends know how we can help?”

Tamara sat down and fixed her own plate, nodding to Tony as she started to eat. She was back to her usual large plate of food and Roy just shook his head when he saw how much she put away. Cooking for two Asgardians and a super soldier appetite was bad enough but Tamara easily ate twice the normal amount, and most the others ate more than expected for their size. When everyone was finally finished, Roy just looked at the pile of dishes as they filed out to begin the day.

Tamara headed down to the lobby, deciding to walk to visit Brian at the theater. Toi was perched on her shoulder so she didn't even startle when Clint popped up beside her. "What Clint?”

“Just thought I'd keep you company.”

“More like watching out for me, I'm fine but if you really want to come, that’s fine. I need to run some errands afterward.”

“Cool, going to any bookstores? I wanna pick something new up for whenever we have our next mission, Tasha’s getting bored with our current stack of books.”

“I might, but one place I need to stop by, I go alone. I need to stop by and see someone, find out if they're willing to accept our help but I promised to keep his identity a secret, even from the rest of the team unless he decides to reveal his identity.”

“I’m cool with that, you tell me when and I'll wait somewhere nearby for you.”

Tamara led Clint to the small theater and he waited while she talked to Brian about the SI carnival and it was agreed that everyone would make posters and deliver them to Brian’s mom's salon where Tamara would pick them up the day before the carnival. After they left the theater, Tamara did visit a bookstore where she picked up several books. Tony teased her about preferring a hard copy to digital copies but she liked the feel of a paperback in her hands.

After they left the bookstore, they hopped the bus to several herb shops where Tamara purchased some new plants and arranged delivery back to the tower. Finally she headed back towards the tower, but finally, she stopped at a small cafe. “Clint, I need you to wait here for me, I won't be far but please, trust me.”

Clint wasn't happy but as long as she had Toi, he could agree to wait. “Fine, but only if Toi goes with you, and you keep a channel open.”

Tamara sat down across from Clint, “What’s going on, you're not usually this protective?”

“Last night, we all saw your Grandmother. She had a riddle for everyone but mine was personal.”

When Clint stopped, Tamara just waited for him to continue. “She told me that I was going to have to protect you, hide you away from someone who wanted to hurt you."

Now Tamara understood, "But she gave you no idea when it might happen?”

“No”

“Clint, you can’t follow me around everywhere; I want to talk to everyone later; I want to know exactly what she said to each of you. I’m used to her riddles so maybe I can help figure them out or clear things up some. Now, I’m not keeping a channel open but JARVIS can actively monitor me and I will be on the watch more. But this guy is good, I’ll be safe around him.”

“I don’t like it but it’s no use to argue is it?”

“Nope” Tamara got up and walked off leaving Clint to wait and wonder who she was going to visit.

Tamara made her way to the law offices of Nelson and Murdock and went inside. She introduced herself to the receptionist who went into the conference room at the end of the hall. After a couple of minutes, the receptionist returned and handed Tamara a small envelope, then returned to her desk. Tamara pocketed the envelope and returned to Clint who was clearly relieved to be returning to the tower. When they returned, Tamara went to her room and changed, then made her way to the gym. She wasn't surprised to find most the team there, but even Dugan was there, patiently walking away on a treadmill. She didn't disturb anyone as she made her way to the room housing the gymnastics equipment. Once there, she began to limber up and work out but she was surprised when JARVIS interrupted her as she began to work on the uneven bars.

“Steve is wondering if he might join you?”

“Sure” She did a couple swings around the high bar, then flipped to the ground. Turning around, she found both Clint and Steve watching.

“What?”

“You’re good, you could easily get a job in a carnival.” Clint was grinning as he dusted his own hands. He made his way to the bars, then leaped up to catch the lower bar. He began to slowly work through a basic routine before starting on more difficult moves. Tamara watched for just a few moments, then she jumped and joined him on the bars, adapting her moves so they were never both on the bars at the same time. Steve watched them for several minutes, until first Clint and then Tamara dismounted.

Clint was breathing heavily but Tamara was only slightly winded. She poked at Clint, teasing him “You’re out of practice. So what was that about?”

“Actually, Clint had told me he knew some gymnastics but that you were better. I was curious, I've never really watched you practice.”

Tamara sat down on the mat, “When I was little, my sister and I loved gymnastics, I guess you could say it’s in our blood. My grandmother was pretty good and she taught us. After my sister died, at first I didn't want to do gymnastics anymore; that’s when I got interested in martial arts. But then my parents told me to continue the martial arts I either had to do gymnastics again or take dance lessons. I went to a few dance classes but didn't really like the teacher or how the classes were taught. So I went back to gymnastics, and for the first time since she died, I almost felt like my sister was still with me. But I had enjoyed dancing some so I found people in our neighborhood who could show me what they knew. It took longer but I did learn the stuff I really liked.”

Clint was curious himself now, “Like what?” he asked as he joined her in sitting on the mat.

“Well, there was this older lady who’d been a ballerina. She wasn't famous or anything but she did teach classes; she taught me basic moves, mostly because they would help me stay limber. Her husband, he knew tap and I loved watching him, so he taught me a little; then he taught me how to watch movies and figure out the steps myself.”

Clint was grinning, “So are you any good?”

“Nowhere near competition level but good enough I can have fun with it. That’s really why I dance, just to have fun.”

“Growing up, I never learned to dance, never had a chance to before I went under. Since then, well, you can’t exactly go to a Stark function and get away with not dancing. Tony found out I couldn't dance so he got Pepper to arrange lessons. It was a disaster, I was so nervous I kept stepping on her feet.” Steve laughed at the memory. “But eventually I learned so now I don’t embarrass anyone at these functions. What about you Clint?”

“Are you kidding? SHIELD actually has classes to teach agents how to behave in high society; they cover everything from dancing to dinner. I usually spend more time in a nest watching Tasha charm a target, just not much call for a man to charm a target and get whatever we needed.”

“I gotta go, guys, I’m cooking tonight.” Tamara left the practice room and headed for the showers and when she left headed back upstairs, Clint and Steve were back in the ring sparring.


	34. Chapter 34

Tamara made her way upstairs and began to browse the kitchen, not quite sure what she want to cook tonight but she knew she wanted to invite Dugan up to join them. Glancing at the time, she realized she had everything she needed for something special if no one minded supper being a little later. “JARVIS, ask everyone is we can put supper off about thirty minutes, I need the extra time for something special.”

A few minutes later, JARVIS interrupted her to let her know that no one minded a late supper since she was cooking. Tamara just chuckled and began to pull things out. She rolled out a thick dough and soon she had dumplings ready to cook. She had cooked chicken that she had shredded earlier and she dumped it into a pair of large pots, then began to mix her stock. Adding spices, she soon had the basic stock going and once it was at a low rolling boil, she turned it down to simmer and added the dumplings.

“JARVIS, keep everyone out of the kitchen and tell Tony no loud noises, I'm making a couple of cakes for dessert.” She washed up the dishes she’d already used and set them aside to dry as she set out the cake supplies. Soon she had two cake pans filled with batter and popped into the oven. As the cakes baked, she finished preparing the rest of supper, then made the icing for the cakes. As she finished the icing, the cakes were done and she set them aside to cool while the icing set up. “OK J, tell them cakes are done.

Tamara iced the cakes, then set them in the fridge. As she was starting to take the food off the stove, Loki popped into the kitchen.

“I thought I would see if I could be of assistance.”

“Yeah, help me set the table. Dessert plates too but dessert stays in here until everyone is done eating.”

Loki and Tamara set the table as JARVIS notified the others that supper was ready. When Tony didn't respond right away, JARVIS informed Tamara. Loki popped into the lab where Tony was busy welding and waited until he set the torch down, then teleported them both back to the dining room. When Tony realized where he was, he just turned and went to the kitchen to wash up, then joined the others at the table. Everyone passed around the bowls of salad as Tamara and Loki carried in the pots and she began to dish the contents out into large bowls which were then handed around the table.

Soon the dining room was filled with chatter and the sounds of silverware as everyone enjoyed the dinner Tamara had cooked. Loki had taken a place near Tamara and after tasting the meal, he wanted to know more about how it was made.

“It’s just chicken and dumplings, nothing special these days. Growing up, then it was for special occasions because it took so long. But I use a few shortcuts now, mostly it’s not having to kill and clean the chicken that saves time.”

“You actually killed them yourself? Why not just go to the store?”

“Tony, not everyone grew up like you did, surrounded by money and servants. I come from a very different place, most of you probably can't understand what it was like for me growing up.”

“Try us.”

“Well, my neighborhood wasn't the projects but we weren't much above them. Everybody on the block pitched in to help each other. We had two vacant lots, one we set aside to garden and the other was to raise animals. We kept a bunch of chickens and rabbits mostly. They thought about a cow but there wasn't enough room to keep enough to provide everyone with milk, so we kept a few dairy goats. Some of the adults went into the swamps hunting and anything that was caught was shared out. The kids went out too but we hunted for edible wild plants, like mushrooms and berries or trapping or fishing.”

Tamara paused to eat a bit, then resumed her story, aware that everyone was listening now. “The older people couldn't do much physical work but they watched the littles so the middles could tend the garden.”

“Wait, what are littles and middles?”

“Sorry, littles was the nickname for preschoolers and toddlers, middles were the school age kids. The kids called most adults ‘grumps’ short for grown-ups, but the older people we called elders. The younger kids called the teens minis cause they acted like mini-adults. When things got tight, we had rules about who got the food first, whether it was the garden or hunting or whatever. Littles came first, then elders, then middles and adults and minis shared.”

“It sounds hard, living like that I mean. I guess it wasn't much different than the way I grew up, the little kids always ate first at the orphanage. Bucky and I used to run errands just to get a little to eat, some days that was all we had, but that was right after the depression.”

“Exactly, most our elders survived the Depression but that mentality never went away and they raised us to be self-sufficient. If not for the way I was raised, I don't think I could have survived when I ran away. Some people still kept gardens and I longed for fresh vegetables. So I wrote letters, offering to trade wild edibles, fish or turtle for vegetables. I never visited the same home twice in a row but I always left far more than I took.”

“So you were serious about hunting gators?”

“Well yeah, but it wasn't like you think. I never set out to trap them, I just set traps to protect my other traps, like turtle traps. The only time I actively set out to trap a gator was if something was wrong with it, like an albino. Jake knew a place that took those and sold them to attractions, same with other albino animals. They'd never live long in the wild, so they were better off and I made some money to buy the stuff I couldn't get otherwise.”

“So if society crashed, you'd survive? That’s it, she gets a place on my doomsday team.” Tony grinned and Pepper just shook her head as she tried to hold back her laughter.

Once she was able to stop laughing, she brought up a different subject. “We need to decide on a theme for our costumes this year for the party. For the carnival, it will be uniforms as usual; Loki you don't have to appear if you don't want to, most people don’t know you're working with the team. Tamara doesn't appear with the team because no one realizes she is part of the team, she looks like any other medic out there. Anybody have a suggestion?”

Several ideas were given ranging from futuristic to Victorian but they finally agreed on fictional characters from pre-twentieth century time periods. Costumes did not have to be a specific character, so long as the type existed in a time period that did not include electricity. This was added in case someone wanted to dress as a fictional character that was not from Earth.

"J, send a message to Antonio and if anyone has an idea already, just let JARVIS know. Antonio can arrange fittings, he has everyone's sizes except Tamara and Loki. And keep in mind the party is only two weeks away, so get by to see him or call him this week."

"I have no need Stark, I can arrange my own clothing."

"What about you Tam?"

"Actually, I have something in mind so I won't need any help either. But no peeking, promise me; I might let you see my outfit for the carnival but I want the party to be a surprise." Tamara finished eating and cleared her plate, then started to cut the cakes and set the slices out for everyone. Despite being asked, she refused to say anything else about either her costume for the carnival or the party but when Jake looked over, he just grinned since he had an idea what her carnival costume would be anyways.

Once she was done eating, she left the dining room and returned to her room to hunt up a couple of boxes she hadn't opened since Jake sent them to her. Finally finding them, she set them on the bed, then opened one carefully. “JARVIS, I need a few minutes alone, don't let anyone in please.”

She carefully opened the tissue paper and removed the dress tucked away inside the box, then laid it on the bed. She removed most her clothes, then slipped the dress over her head. It was a little tight through the bodice and just a little too short but those wouldn't be a problem. She knew Ama had made the dress so it could easily be altered, all she needed was the right materials. To lower the waist, she could add fabric to resemble a belt and although the skirt was a little short compared to how Ama wore the dress, she liked it this way.

“JARVIS, find me some fabric shops nearby so I can find what I need tomorrow. And a costume supply store, I'm going to need to make a mask.”

“Antonio’s shop can assist in both those matters. He has experience in altering period clothing and has access to specialty fabric suppliers.”

“Can he keep this dress a secret? I don't want anyone to know about it until the party.”

“I can set up an appointment for you tomorrow, he has not revealed costumes in the past so it is safe to assume he will not do so now.”

“OK, set one up then. I’ll need to take both outfits, Ama’s harlequin outfit is too fragile to wear so I'm hoping he can duplicate it.”

“Steve has requested an appointment for tomorrow as well, might I suggest you go at the same time. He is less likely to pry than the others and it might alleviate Clint’s concerns about your safety.”

Tamara carefully removed the dress and tucked it back into the box, then placed it below the other box back in her closet. When she left her room, she joined the others in the media room where instead of the usual movie fest, Tony had some new video games for them to try out.

“Keep in mind guys, these games aren't out yet. I have ownership in the company producing these and we're going to be marketing some of these on limited edition devices. Those devices will be delivered to terminally ill children and to hospitals and to veteran’s groups. SI will maintain ownership of the devices and will handle any problems.”

“Why not just give the devices to people?” Clint was curious.

“That’s Pepper’s idea actually; in the past, we did that with equipment but it was frequently stolen or sold after the person it was given to died. If SI maintains ownership, then we can prosecute for theft and we can pass the equipment along to other people. These are to make people happy, not to make someone money.”

“And in addition, the reason these devices will be limited edition is the cases will be custom designed with each hero in mind. We are asking that you either personally autograph cases or we can create a digital signature to be included in the case designs but we want it based off your real signature. That was Tony’s idea, custom cases focusing on each hero and a team case so people can request their favorite hero.”

Clint and Tasha grabbed the console game as Tony handed out tablets to everyone else. Tamara didn't bother looking at the tablet when Tony handed it to her, just set it aside as she watched the others investigate the games. After several minutes, she got up and walked out to the deck, followed soon after by Jake with a jacket. He found her standing at the railing, looking down at the city and he draped the jacket over her shoulders.

“You shouldn't stay out long in this weather, it’s getting cold quickly.”

“I won't I just needed to clear my head. Did you see her last night? Clint says Nadia was here and she talked to everyone, gave them all a riddle about the future.”

Jake sat down on one of the chairs. “She was here, as real as I am; surprised the hell out of Loki when she walked right through a binding spell he created. I think she was pleased that he tried to protect you. JARVIS was able to record everything; I watched it again today but I have no idea what she meant by any of her warnings. You knew her better, watch the video, maybe you can figure something out, I think it’s got all of them rattled.”

“I think I’m going to go to my room a bit early tonight, I still need to finish those rings and tomorrow I'm going to visit that costume guy Tony knows.”

“I think I know what you plan for the carnival, you’re going to wear Nadia’s harlequin costume right?”

“Not exactly, it’s getting fragile and I don't want it ruined so I'm going to see if they can make one for me. But I'm not sure what colors I want, I’ll just have to see what they have tomorrow. And I’m going to get a mask made to go with one of Nadia’s dresses.”

Tamara and Jake went back inside and she soon left the others to return to her room. There she spent the next couple of hours finishing the carving to turn the wood blanks into rings before finally tucking them away in a small pouch and leaving it lying on her dresser.

It was quiet when Tamara woke early the next morning but she decided to get up since she couldn't sleep. Dressing for a workout, she made her way down to the gym. It wasn't even starting to get light outside yet but Tamara knew the gym would probably be empty this early in the morning. She didn't have anyone to spot her on the weight benches so instead, she took advantage of the quiet to work with a heavy bag as she punched and kicked away her restlessness. She'd only been at it for a short time when she heard the door open and turned to find Steve watching her.

“Sorry, I can leave if you want to be alone.”

“No, it’s fine, I just couldn't sleep.”

Steve didn't say anything else to her, just went and set up another bag and began pounding away, lost in his own thoughts. When Tamara stopped, he didn't register it at first, he was so used to being alone this early in the morning. But when he hit the bag a little too hard and split the seam, he noticed she was gone. He took the bag down and tossed it with the other damaged bags, then headed out of the gym for his usual morning run.

He headed north through Central Park, calling out a greeting to vendors as they set up for the day and waving to other runners. He had gotten to the 85th Street Transverse and was headed east when he heard a gunshot. Moving off the path, he ran as quietly as he could through the woods towards where he thought the shot had come from. Soon he could hear what sounded like a fight and he moved faster, only to stop when he finally found the source of the fight.

Tamara had one guy on the ground, curled into a ball. Two more were approaching her with more caution, one of them holding a knife and the other held the gun Steve had heard. Steve laughed, then sat down on the ground to watch, confusing both Tamara’s would-be attackers.

“Hi Steve” Tamara’s greeting and waving at him was probably a bit too much for the guy on the ground as he tried to crawl away.

Steve grabbed his ankle as he sat down to watch. “Lemme know when you're done and I'll race you home.”

“Gimme about two minutes,” Tamara said as she attacked the gun holder with a large stick from a tree. Using the stick as a staff, she had the gun out of his hand and flying through the air but before it hit the ground, Toi popped up and caught it, then carried it over to Steve. Tamara knocked him over the head with the stick, then used it to sweep his feet out from under him and in the same motion, jabbed the other guy in the stomach, making him both grunt in pain and drop the knife he was holding. The police arrived right before she hit the last guy and they soon had all three cuffed and headed off to jail. Tamara just looked at Steve and grinned as Toi jumped to her shoulder, digging her claws into the pad Tamara wore strapped across her shoulder blades. Before Steve could say another word, she took off, laughing as she did so.

Steve soon caught up to her, thanks to the serum but he let her maintain the lead as she jumped over obstacles and dodged other joggers. With the tower back in sight, she surprised him as she put on a short burst of speed and raced across the street. When he entered the tower, she was nowhere in sight so he just went to an empty elevator to return to the main floor.

Steve returned to his own floor and showered, then headed to the kitchen to start breakfast, knowing the others would be starting to get up by now. It didn't surprise him to find Tamara already there, singing as she cooked. He took in the pile of taco shells and the bowls of eggs and sausage and chopped veggies already on the counter. She turned around and set two glasses of juice out, just as Clint and Tasha walked in. Neither said a word as they fixed plates and stuck them in the microwave to melt the cheese. Steve just watched, then shook his head and made his own plate as Tamara continued to cook. Over the next half hour, everyone drifted in and out, sharing breakfast in their usual manner while Tamara ate as she cooked.


	35. Chapter 35

By the time she finished, Tony and Bruce had finally gotten up and eaten. Bruce offered to do the dishes so Tamara went to her room to gather the boxes with her outfits in them. Knowing how nosy Tony was, she decided to remove both the dress and the costume from their protective boxes and she tucked them down into the bottom of a satchel, covering them with a towel to protect them. She left the satchel open as she tucked the carved rings into a pocket of her jeans. So far, she'd carved out almost two dozen but she intended to carve more if she could learn the magic to create power items herself. Grabbing the satchel, she carried it into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of juice as Toi climbed into the satchel. She had discovered when Toi was little this was an easy way to hide her from people and take her places she normally wouldn't be allowed. Carefully putting the satchel on, she made her way to the elevator and down to the lobby.

It was chilly outside as she made her way down the street towards the address JARVIS had given her for the tailor's shop. It was only a few blocks but when a light rain began to fall, she began to wish she'd taken the bus. Finally, she reached the building and ducked inside the warm interior. A young man came from the back as she carefully removed the satchel and set it down so Toi could climb out.

“Yes, how may I help you miss?”

“I’m a friend of Tony’s, he said I could find an Antonio at this address to get help with a costume.”

“Antonio has an appointment in a few minutes but if you would like to wait.” He indicated a comfortable chair next to a heater. “Would you like some coffee?”

The door opened behind them and the newcomer volunteered. “She’s not really a coffee type person, cocoa with lots of marshmallows; and maybe a bowl of warm milk for Toi; I’d like a coffee myself.”

Toi came over and rubbed against Steve’s leg, purring happily and he obliged her with a quick rub. The young man returned with a small tray, handing Steve a large coffee mug and setting a bowl of cream down for Toi. He set the tray on a table near the heater and offered Tamara a mug of cocoa brimming with marshmallows. “Antonio will be with you in just a moment, Mr. Rogers.”

A few minutes later an older man entered the room, “Mr. Rogers, it is a pleasure to see you again. JARVIS has informed me of the theme for this year and I have a few suggestions for you. If you would follow me.”

“Actually, I’m in no hurry, go ahead and help Tamara, she’ll be joining us this year.”

“Is no problem, we help you both. Emma enjoys meeting new people, she can help the young lady.”

Steve and Tamara got up and followed Antonio into the back where racks of costumes hung in protective plastic bags. Antonio led them towards an older woman busy marking fabric. “This is my wife, Emma, she will help you.”

Antonio gestured for Steve to follow him deeper into the back of the building, leaving Tamara and Toi alone with Emma. Emma smiled and indicated a chair, then sat down in another herself.

“You need a costume, like the others?”

“Not exactly, I have something but I need help with it and a dress. They belonged to my grandmother and she was smaller than me.”

“You have them with you? We go to a dressing room, keep secret.”

Tamara followed Emma towards a quiet corner and into a very spacious dressing room. Emma offered hangers and Tamara removed first the harlequin outfit and hung it up, being very careful in how she handled it. As she was unrolling the dress, Emma was examining the harlequin costume. Tamara hung the dress on a separate hook and waited for Emma to inspect it.

Emma handled the dress carefully as she inspected it thoroughly. “Not enough fabric to alter to fit you. Dress is special to you? I make you one like it, make harlequin too. Colors wrong for you, make you look pale.” Emma studied Tamara, then left the room abruptly, returning a few minutes later with a small bag and a sketch pad. “You strip, I measure.”

Tamara did as she was told and moved as Emma instructed, impressed by the sheer number of measurements Emma took of her. After Emma was done measuring her, Tamara redressed and followed Emma back out, leaving her precious outfits hanging in the room. Emma led her to a table piled high with pieces of fabric and began to sort through them, pulling out deep jewel tones in blues and purple and burgundy. She held several pieces up against Tamara’s face, then laid a few aside. Picking up the pieces she selected, she left Tamara sitting at the table and disappeared into the back. When she returned, she was accompanied by Antonio and Steve, both carrying bolts of fabric. They laid the fabric down and Emma sorted it, finally selecting several bolts and setting them aside. Emma shooed them all off as she began to unroll fabric and measure it.

As they were getting ready to leave the shop, Tamara turned to Antonio, “Can you tell her not to worry about the embroidery on the dress? That’s something I need to do myself; I'll need to pick them both up on the 30th.”

Antonio just nodded as Tamara held the satchel open for Toi, folding the top over to protect the cat from the rain that was falling outside. Tamara took off out the door, headed back towards the tower and after a short discussion with Antonio, Steve was headed that way as well. When he returned to the tower, he headed up to the gym to spar with Thor.

Meanwhile, Tamara had skipped the tower and instead made her way to the bookstore where she had met the magician earlier that month. A bell over the door jingled as she entered and she was shown to a comfortable chair in the back room as she waited. She didn't have a long wait before the older man was entering the room.

“You have the rings made?”

“I have some but if I can learn how to do this, I plan to make more.”

“Follow me.” Steven led Tamara further into the building, into a room that had no windows but several tables scattered around and she noticed a pentagram etched into the floor. Steven took the carved wooden rings from her and dropped them into a silver brazier, then poured a clear liquid over them. A spark lit the liquid and when it had evaporated, the wooden rings gleamed like polished ivory.

“Now, I wish to test you again.” Steve took out a crystal and handed it to Tamara. Remembering his previous test, she held the crystal but this time the crystal he held did not change color. “I’m sorry, you cannot learn magic any longer.”

“What, how?”

Steven could see a portion of the tattoo on her left arm and he pointed at it. “That is new, you did not have this last time.”

“Um yeah, Steve brought me some kind of armband but when I put it on, it became this tattoo instead.”

“Then you are safe from those who seek magic users. That is why the band came to you, I feared you had not enough magic to even learn to defend yourself, now it doesn't matter.”

“No magic at all? But what about the dagger?”

“I’m sorry, you can still use magic items, but you no longer have the ability to work any magic yourself. The rings are ready for you to take; it is up to you to figure out how to fill the rings with healing energy. I regret you will not be able to use the spell for harvesting plants.”

Steven guided Tamara from the workroom and back into the bookstore; then he disappeared again into the back of the building. Tamara held the pouch containing the rings and wondered how she was going to store energy in them if she no longer had access to any magic of her own. The old man who ran the bookstore handed her a note just before she left and she tucked it into her pocket with the wooden rings as she ventured back out into the rain.

She was quiet as she walked back to the tower, so lost in her thoughts she wasn’t paying the crowd around her much attention so she was startled when the satchel was pulled from her back, causing her to fall down. An indignant yowl down the street had her up quickly and she soon found Toi, thoroughly soaked as she huddled under a car. She had blood on her but before Tamara could check her for injuries, Toi reassured her. _‘Not mine, them. They try to take me from you.’_

_‘I don't think they expected to find a cat inside my bag. Are you hurt?’_

_‘Wet, cold'_

Tamara pulled off her coat and wrapped Toi in it, not caring one bit that now she was the one getting wet. It was only two blocks back to the tower but Tamara was soaked by the time she walked back into the lobby. One of the security guards took one look at her and Toi, both dripping wet, and pulled a couple of towels and a blanket from under the counter. Tamara took them gratefully, then walked to a nearby marble bench and kicked her shoes and socks off. She laid one towel to the side and Toi crawled out of her coat, then curled up on the towel and began to groom herself. Tamara wrapped the other towel around her hair, then pulled the blanket around her and picked Toi up, heading for the elevators. A janitor was already cleaning up the water Tamara had tracked in and he gathered her discarded clothes and placed them inside a bag on the cart, then finished cleaning up the water. Tamara didn't worry about her clothes, she knew the staff would see to it they got to the laundry and back upstairs.

When the elevator reached her floor, Tamara went straight for her bedroom, stopping only long enough to lay out warm clothes and to plug in a heated blanket for Toi. When she entered the bathroom, JARVIS already had the shower started and she simply stripped her wet clothes off and tossed them down the laundry chute after emptying the pockets. Toi climbed into the shower with her and sat where the spray barely reached her and began to groom herself, allowing the steam to warm her up before slipping out to roll around in the towel Tamara left on the floor for her. The last Tamara saw of Toi was her exiting the bathroom to curl up under the heated blanket. Tamara stayed in the shower for several minutes, letting the water warm her as she washed the dirt out of her hair from where she had fallen when the satchel was snatched.

Once she was clean again, she grabbed a book and headed for the common room, intending to read since she had been up so early. Toi dragged herself from the heated blanket and followed her, then climbed into her lap once she was settled on the chaise. Tamara picked up her book and began to read, becoming lost in the world within the book. She read through lunch and well into the afternoon, only stopping when Toi nudged her stomach.

_‘Eat now, keeping me awake with noise’_

_‘Sorry, this book is better than I expected.’_

Tamara made her way into the kitchen and found someone had placed a takeout tray in the fridge for her. She opened it carefully, then put it in the microwave to warm up as she poured a glass of tea and fixed Toi some milk. She finished off the leftover Chinese and tossed her trash, then made her way back to the living room to finish her book.

As night fell, Pepper was showing the team where they would be stationed this year to sign autographs for fans. Tamara studied the map, then got JARVIS to save a copy to her tablet. She didn't plan for her costume to be just for show, she was gonna do just like Ama and make people laugh. With that in mind, she decided on locations to stage a few props for juggling. She went online and found nearby locations where she could purchase props and placed orders for items to be delivered to Jake.

The next morning as the team gathered for breakfast a message came in from Director Fury. The government had an old base that had gone unused for over twenty years and they had decided to demolish the structures. Director Fury had suggested they allow the Avengers to put in some training time there since damage to the buildings wouldn't matter. The X-Men had also been invited and Logan had suggested they use one day as a type of war games between the two teams. After a quick discussion with the rest of the team, Steve had a message sent to the Institute that they looked forward to competing against the X-Men. The Avengers team would consist of eight people since Tamara and Loki would be coming as well, and Tamara was bringing Toi. The X- Men were to bring an equal sized team with comparable members.

They spent the rest of the morning studying the various X-Men and speculating on who might be coming along for the war games. They finally received a return message that over a dozen members and students at the school wished to participate but that the competition team would be limited to eight people as well. In lieu of actual weapons, they would use paintball guns for the war games, although everyone could still use other abilities, as long as the potential for harm was small. Only Bruce was not happy with the idea of a paintball war, he did not know how Hulk would react to it and how could he handle a paintball gun in the first place. Tony assured Bruce he could come up with a solution to the problem of a gun within a few hours; that left teaching Hulk about paintball and Tamara volunteered. Not even Bruce was happy about that idea even after she pointed out he was less likely to hurt her than any of the others. Finally, he agreed, provided Thor and Steve stayed in the room with them and Clint had to be ready with a tranquilizer.

After lunch, Tamara decided it was time to teach Hulk about paintball. Tony had the necessary supplies delivered, after they agreed to a ‘no red paint’ rule, concerned Hulk might mistake it for blood. Tamara took several bottles of pellets and extra guns and went to the range with Bruce following reluctantly. Most of the floors in the building were utilized in some manner but the floors both above and below the range were mostly open spaces where targets could be moved into different positions for training. Bruce was relieved to see Thor and Steve already waiting but he was a bit surprised when they each took a paintball set from Tamara. Several large pieces of paper were taped to one wall and there was a small box with a variety of paintball pellets rolling around inside. Tamara set the protective gear aside for now and brought out water pistols.

“OK Bruce, go ahead and change.”

“I’m not so sure about this.”

“Trust me, we know Hulk would never hurt me.”

Bruce nodded and reluctantly allowed Hulk to take his place. Hulk looked around with curiosity before finally grabbing Tamara in a hug.

“OK big guy, missed you too. I want to teach you a game.” She picked up one of the water pistols and showed it to Hulk. “You know these are play guns, remember?” She squirted him with a little stream of water, then she picked up one of the paintball guns. “These are for play too, but they don’t shoot water. Thor and Steve are gonna help me teach you about them. We're going out tomorrow to play a game with them and you get to play too.”

“Bruce not play?”

“No, we want to let you play. It’s like when we play fight with each other. No hurting, you gotta be easy in this game.”

Tamara handed Hulk the box full of paintball pellets and picked a couple up, then dropped them in her gun. Steve and Thor were already wearing goggles but they skipped the rest of the gear, wearing old clothes instead. Tamara took the gun and aimed it at the paper taped to the wall and fired off a few rounds as Hulk watched. She then turned the gun on Thor and Steve and fired a few shots at them, surprising them both. When they fired back and hit her, Hulk got in front of her as though to protect her.

“Hulk, it’s OK, it washes off, I'm not hurt, look.” Hulk watched as she took a cloth and wiped the paint off her pants leg. Then he picked up one of the pellets from the box and squeezed it, causing it to burst open and splash him with paint. Tamara took the cloth and washed the paint off, then waited as he squeezed several more pellets. When she took a pellet and threw it at the wall, her throw wasn't hard enough to make the pellet burst. Hulk copied her throw and he grinned when the pellet burst on the paper, spreading the paint everywhere.

“Hulk like game”

“OK, but you understand, it’s just a game, no hurting. Wanna play with Steve and Thor? Tony’s trying to make you a pellet shooter too but just throw them for now. But you gotta learn one more thing, you can’t get mad if someone gets you with the paint. And when JARVIS says to sit down, you gotta sit down until the game is done, you understand?”

Hulk grinned and grabbed a handful of pellets and flung them in the direction of Steve and Thor, striking them both a few times. Tamara pulled her pellet gun up and popped Hulk in the leg but it barely fazed him. He swatted absently at the paint and looked surprised to find it on his hands. “What happen?”

“I shot you with the paint, see it doesn't hurt; I bet you barely noticed.”

“We play now?”

“Yeah big guy, me and you against Steve and Thor, but remember, no hurting.”

The four of them spent the next hour playing with the paintball equipment before Tamara was satisfied that Hulk understood this was just a game. Then it was time for the rest of the team to join them and they played around with the paintball equipment for another hour before finally calling it quits. As Hulk changed back into Bruce, most of the others headed for the showers to wash off the paint but Tony stayed behind with Tamara.

Concern was evident in Bruce’s voice when he asked, “How'd he do?”

“He loved it and we're both pretty sure he understands it’s just a game. We had everyone down here for about an hour and he never got upset or anything, even when he was told he was out of the game. Jake’s bringing you a special tea, it’s a new recipe, might help you feel better after a change.”

“C’mon Bruce, let's go get this paint off, don’t want to give them any advantages tomorrow.”

Tony and Bruce headed off to shower and Tamara started gathering up the equipment. Clint emerged from the shower first and he shooed her off to clean up as he finished gathering the equipment. That night, they decided to order Italian to be delivered along with placing an order for breakfast. After supper, Tony showed off the modified pellet gun he made for Hulk and they watched a movie before going off to bed.

The next morning, Tamara was up early again and she changed for a quick run, relieved the rain had stopped. She met Steve and Clint both in the kitchen and it was clear they had the same idea. It was a short run that morning around Central Park and none of them made any effort to lose the others as they usually did when they ran together. Steve started making omelets while Clint got started on pancakes as they chased Tamara off to shower.

By the time she finished showering, breakfast was ready and the others were gathering to eat. She noticed that Steve and Clint were absent but two empty plates sat in the sink. By the time the others finished eating, Steve and Clint both emerged back from their rooms, clean and ready to go. Everyone went to their rooms to finish gathering their gear and soon they met on the roof to board the quin that awaited them. This time, not even Clint or Tasha knew where they were headed so a pilot was provided.


	36. Chapter 36

It was only a short flight and the quin landed, the rear hatch opening to reveal the remains of a small town. They disembarked and unloaded the crates of weapons and gear and watched as the quin took off back towards New York. A few minutes later, the Blackbird arrived and landed and the X-Men joined them. They unloaded a couple of crates before the Blackbird took off as well.

Logan approached the Avengers, followed by a small group made up of mostly teens but Remy and Marie were there are well. “Rogers, they stuck me with babysitting the kids as they learn. You've met a couple of them.” Kurt and Bobby could be seen standing with a group of teens.

“What about the others, we thought your team was coming to train with us?”

“The Professor had a job for them, said the three of us aren't suited for ‘diplomatic’ work. So we brought some of the kids that are about ready to return to the real world. He likes all the kids to have some survival training, in case they have to go into hiding.”

Without a word, the teens paired up and stood by a crate, waiting for word on what to do. Tamara was studying the teens as Remy and Marie came to join them.

“OK, for those who don't know, no pranking these guys unless they prank you first. The cat is off limits unless she invites you to touch her.” Logan pointed at Tamara, “You get hurt, you tell her, don't matter if anyone else knows and you listen to her.” He pointed to Bruce, “Don't piss him off, he might not look like much but he'll surprise you. And no touching other people’s weapons unless they offer it to you. Some of these are very dangerous and I know of one that would kill you if you tried to handle it. Any questions?”

When none of the unknown teens replied, Logan just turned and headed towards the remains of the city. The teens grabbed the crates and followed after him and with no better idea, the Avengers followed them. Logan finally found what he deemed a suitable camp site and the teens put the crates down gratefully. Without a word, Logan opened the first crate and pulled out a tent and handed it to two boys to set up. He handed another smaller tent to the only girls in the group and they quickly had it set up. Opening the crates from SHIELD, Steve was surprised to find one included tents and camping gear. He soon had it sorted out and tents were set up, with Tamara giving in and helping Tony with his and Bruce's. When she didn't set up a tent, she got funny looks but not once everyone realized that Logan hadn't put up a tent either yet.

The adults gathered and began to discuss the plans for the next couple of days but Tamara got bored easily. She saw a couple of the teens eyeing the woods so she decided to occupy them. Walking over, she sat down beside one of the girls and introduced herself.

“I’m Tamara and this is Toi.”

“I'm Cindy, that’s Kim, and the boys are Mark, Kevin and Ken are the twins and that’s Brad over there. Why’d they send a doctor out here?”

Tamara laughed, “I'm not a doctor, I’m just a medic. I've known Logan almost five years now, I almost ended up at the Institute myself but I couldn't trust my partner around people.”

“You're a mutant? You don’t look like one.”

“Neither do most of you, at first glance, only Kurt and Remy look like mutants. And I'm a healer, but not like Logan, I can heal other people too.”

“Kevin and Ken are my older brothers, they can sorta communicate with animals, not enough to talk like people do but enough to know what they need and if they're hurt, including exactly what the injury is and where. I have a literal green thumb, I can bring any plant back from almost dead. The professor got them jobs in Sri Lanka working on a nature preserve and I'm going with them. Our mom died recently and they're all the family I've got left.”

“I’m sorry, I know what it’s like to be alone, all my family is gone too.”

“Mom was sick for a long time, she had cancer and when she heard about the Institute, she drove up there with us and talked to the Professor. We've lived there since then, that was four years ago. Mom was so sick she went to a nursing home but she didn't want us in foster care, that’s why she took us there.”

“What about the rest of you? You don't have to tell me your gift but if it might matter if you get hurt, I do need to know.”

The other girl spoke up, “I can move things a little, telekinesis; but nothing big, so far twenty-five pounds seems to be my dead weight limit.”

“I’m Mark, Brad over there’s my cousin. He’s partially deaf but his memory is incredible. He can see something and it’s like he memorizes everything at once. He’s a low-level telepath so most people don't know he has trouble hearing. I’m an empath myself but I can influence a person if I’m touching them. We're going to go to college to be counselors. The professor taught me to use my ability to help people having panic attacks and stuff. If I can touch them, I can help them calm down more easily.”

“Are you going to work together?”

“That’s our plan, my mom’s a nurse, she was the one who suggested it. Brad’s dad is an attorney, he offered to help both of us get our degrees and he knows a company willing to give us a job when we graduate.”

“OK, so how would all of you like to get out of here for a bit? Once we finish setting the camp up, I can take you out into the woods and hopefully we'll find something to add to supper.”

“They told us not to leave the area, said we have to have someone who knows the woods with us.”

Tamara laughed, “Trust me, they won't say anything if I take you into the woods.” Tamara turned towards the group of adults, “Hey Logan, I’m gonna take the kids out for a bit.” Logan just waved without looking back at them.

“How'd you manage that, he said it might be dangerous out right now. Told us he'd have Kurt take back any of us who even headed for the woods.”

“Easy, Logan knows I can take care of myself out there and keep all of you outta trouble. I lived alone in a swamp for almost six years, took care of myself.”

“Wait, you said earlier your partner couldn't be trusted around people.”

“My partner then was a cougar I raised from a cub, she died defending me. Toi is my partner now, but this isn't her normal form, she might change before we go. Now, let’s finish setting up and then we'll go out. We'll gather wood first, just dead-fall but if you see any piles that are big, leave them, it might be the home of a critter.”

Under Tamara’s direction, the teens soon had the camp completely set up and the crates from the Institute unpacked. The crates the Avengers brought were moved to the tents set aside for them outside the doors. Tamara sorted through the crates of food and was semi-pleased but she wanted to avoid the packaged foods if possible. She showed the teens how to rig a travois and led them off into the woods shortly after they finished. Each teen also had a pair of canteens and an extra bag. As they headed into the woods, she showed them how to stack dry branches to mark a path back but also to avoid dragging a load everywhere. She had studied the map and noticed a river nearby so led them that way, gathering late berries and nuts as they went and stacking wood to collect on the way back.

Once they reached the river, she let the teens rest and fill the canteens while she went fishing with Toi. She was in luck because the river was full of pre-spawn brown trout. Lying on a rock, she soon began to pull trout from the river and string them after tossing the first fish to Toi. Once she had a couple dozen good sized fish, she rounded up the teens and they headed back to the campsite. Along the way, they collected the wood they'd gathered and placed it on the travois to make it easier to carry. They were about halfway back when Tamara stopped and motioned to the chattering teens to stay put and be quiet.

She disappeared for several minutes and the kids began to get restless, then Toi returned followed soon after by Tamara. When she returned, she spooked the kids by how quietly she appeared. “You remember the way back, just follow the wood piles. Double up your travois so you don't lose your loads. Team up and quickly carry what you've got back to the campsite. Follow Toi and keep quiet, don't stop to gather anything else. Would it be normal for any of you to talk to Logan without getting the others curious?” Only Cindy raised her hand. “Cindy, when you get back, find Logan and tell him I took off alone. I don't want anyone but Logan following me, make sure he understands that; Toi will be returning to me once you're all safe back at the campsite.”

Tamara turned and watched as the teens headed back to camp, then she knelt and studied the ground before moving off in a different direction. She knew it would be getting dark soon, so as she followed the trail, she made sure to leave her scent on trees frequently so Logan could more easily track her in the dark. After about thirty minutes, she found what she sought, a camp hidden beneath several large trees.

As Tamara reached the camp, the teens and Toi reached the Avengers camp site. Cindy did as Tamara had instructed and went to talk to Logan alone, relaying the message Tamara had given them. Logan spoke quietly to Remy for just a minute before following Toi out into the darkening night. Loki had noticed that Tamara did not return with the others and when he saw Logan leave with Toi, he created two clones of himself. He set one clone to following Logan; knowing that even with his enhanced senses, he could not detect something that did not really exist. He made the excuse of being tired and headed for the tent he was sharing with Thor, allowing the second clone to take his place as he cast an invisibility spell over himself.

He gave Logan several minutes head start, confident in the clone he had following him before he headed into the woods as well. Toi ran ahead to where Tamara had left them and waited for Logan. Logan easily found the trail Tamara had left for him and started following it. Tamara prowled around the camp in the shadows, taking note of the tents and gear and trying to estimate just how many hunters might be in the woods. She heard a noise behind her and looked to see Toi, followed by Logan.

“What are you up to out here?”

“I saw signs of hunters, just wanted some backup when I let them know other people are out here, haven't seen them yet.”

The two of them could hear a dog whine and then several voices, including one that sounded feminine. A few minutes later a group of four people entered the camp, accompanied by a dog. The dog immediately noticed their smell and growled low, moving in front of the smallest of the hunters. Tamara stepped carefully from the shadows, hands open to show she wasn't armed, with Logan a few steps behind her.

“Who are you, what are you doing here?” One of the men asked.

“We just saw signs of hunters, wanted to let you know there are other people out here now. We're camped near the old city, we brought some teens out for survival lessons.”

“Name’s Dale, my son Jack, my brother Mike and his daughter Amy is over there with Dozer.”

“I’m Tamara, and this is Logan. We've got over a dozen people out here; where you hunting, don’t want to get in your way.”

“We're working across the river, near the cliffs and mountaintop. We'll be here a couple more days, the kids haven't gotten a deer yet. You hunt?”

Logan spoke up, “We do, couple the others, most of our group doesn't know how. Part of why we're out here, teach them to fish, snare rabbits, basic woods survival for campers. If you run into any trouble, we'll be glad to help out.”

“Appreciate the offer, but we'll be fine.”

Tamara could feel Toi prowling restlessly and she urged the cat to change into her normal form and join them. “Word of warning, if you see this cat, don't even think about shooting her. Her name is Toi and she’s with us.”

“I've never seen a bobcat like that, it’s beautiful.” The girl had moved closer when Toi joined Tamara.

“She’s not a bobcat, she’s the only one of her kind here; she’s also very intelligent and can understand people just fine.”

“No worries there, we don't hunt predators. The land we're hunting on is private owned, if you see an injured predator, let us know, the landowners will need to be notified immediately.” Dale was dismantling a bow as he spoke with Tamara.

"It was nice meeting all of you but we should be going." Tamara and Logan left the family and headed back towards their camp. Seeing that Tamara was in no danger, Loki teleported back to the tent he was sharing with Thor.

"You shouldn't have come out here alone. What if they weren't good people?"

"Logan, you worry too much, just like everyone else. I planned to just watch until someone else joined me, I'm not stupid."

"Nope, just reckless and willful."

It didn't take long for them to return to the campsite. Once there, they told the others about the hunters and made sure the teens understood they were not to cross the river for any reason. While she was gone, someone had gutted the fish and started a fire to cook them. Tamara seasoned them and placed them on the grill to cook. Before long, everyone was enjoying fresh grilled trout for supper. After supper, they sat around and discussed plans for the next day before everyone went to bed.

The next morning, Tamara was up early and started breakfast. Soon the smell of pancakes and eggs filled the air and the others began to stir. As they finally got up and dressed, Tamara finished cooking and everyone sat down to eat. After eating, they cleaned up the area and made sure the food supplies were secure from wild animals. Once that was done, they split up into small groups to hunt each other through the woods. Tony made sure he was on Tam's team since he wasn't using his suit for this part.

Everyone spent the morning taking turns hunting the others throughout the forest with the paintball guns. Finally, it was time for lunch and they returned to the camp to eat and clean all the paint off themselves. Hulk had made an appearance and clearly enjoyed the game. After lunch, they spent the rest of the day relaxing. Tamara took the teens back down to the river to fish with Kurt and Bobby while she and Logan went hunting. After several hours, Tamara had several rabbits while Logan brought down a small buck.

As the afternoon wore on, they returned to the camp and carved up the buck so they could grill it. Tony and Bruce had been exploring the abandoned city with Steve while the others spent the day in the woods. Soon the smell of roast venison and rabbit began to fill the air and drew the others back to the camp. The teens had caught a few fish and they were cleaned and added to the grill to cook. Remy and Marie prepared vegetables and sealed them in foil; then placed them at the edge of the fire to cook. Finally, everything was done and they settled in to enjoy supper. They all went exploring the town until dark. As night fell, Tamara again settled herself under the stars, in just a few minutes she was asleep as the others continued to talk.

"I've never seen her go to sleep so fast."

"She feels safe and this is more familiar than being cooped up in a building."

Tony watched her for a few minutes, then went to the tent he was sharing with Bruce. Before turning in himself, he spoke with JARVIS about redoing a floor in the tower to make it resemble the outdoors. He had not expected to enjoy being away from technology but he had. And it had surprised everyone to see Tamara act more like the young adult she really was, instead of the serious attitude she usually displayed. The next morning, everyone again enjoyed breakfast outdoors before packing up the camp. They helped load the Blackbird and then joined the X-men on the jet to return to civilization. They were dropped off at the tower before the Blackbird turned north to return to the institute.


	37. Chapter 37

Jake and Pepper greeted them as they entered the tower and dispersed to put away their gear. Jake was glad to see Tamara more relaxed. As Tony walked back to the lab with Pepper, she was surprised by his attitude after the trip. She had expected and even prepared herself to listen to him rant about being deprived of technology but he seemed to have enjoyed himself out in the woods. Tony spent the rest of the day in the lab, performing maintenance checks on the armor and working on designs for new suits. He hadn't slept well at all most nights since the Chitauri and he worried constantly about what else could be out there. He had spoken with Thor about the other races within the Nine Realms and had been reassured that most understood Earth was now under Asgard‘s protection. However that didn't reassure him when he considered the possibility of hostile aliens, so he had secretly spent most his nights trying to design armor for a wide range of possibilities.

The last week leading up to the annual SI Halloween carnival was relatively normal. Tasha and Clint had a quick mission but were back in plenty of time to pick up their costumes. Finally, October 30th rolled around and Tamara was ready to pick up both the harlequin costume and the dress and mask for the party. After the warning from Nadia, Tamara wasn't able to leave the tower without someone going with her. When she told JARVIS she was going to pick up her outfits from Antonio, she wasn't surprised to find Steve waiting downstairs for her. She knew everyone was worried about her but she was getting tired of being followed around. She didn't say anything to Steve, just took the helmet he offered and climbed on his bike behind him. Truth be told, she didn't mind as much when it was Steve if the weather was clear. Even when it was cold like it was now, she loved to ride with him. JARVIS had contacted Antonio before they left and he and Emma were waiting for them when they arrived.

Emma took Tamara back to the dressing room she had used before and waited while she changed into the dress. She had made a few modifications to the design but she had spoken with JARVIS and he had felt sure Tamara would like the changes. The dress had an over-skirt in contrasting shades of blue that made it resemble a flower. The back of the top was high enough to cover the scars across her back and the ones on her shoulder were very faint and were not likely to be noticed. The sleeves were so sheer it was almost like they did not exist and instead of joining the dress at the top of the shoulders, now her shoulders were bare and the sleeves were attached to the sides. Emma had even made it so she could remove the sleeves if she so chose. Emma had made her a hooded cloak as well in a deep burgundy to contrast with the blues of her dress. Her mask was designed to stay in place by use of a net of pearls that would drape over her hair and spill down the back. It was a simple mask but it was covered in peacock feathers, making Tamara’s honey brown eyes stand out against the blues and greens of the feathers. Tamara didn't have to say anything, Emma could see the delight in her eyes as she looked at herself in the mirrors covering the walls of the dressing room.

Tamara reluctantly removed the dress and watched as Emma carefully folded it and placed it into a large dress box. Emma handed her the harlequin costume and she slipped it on, surprised at how soft it was in spite of being stretchy enough to allow her to bend and move freely. Like the dress, the harlequin costume was done in shades of blues and greens ranging from a deep forest green to a beautiful dark teal. Even though Nadia’s costume hadn't had a hat or hood of any kind, again Emma had modified the design so it included a hood and hat complete with bells that jingled as she moved.

“Oh Emma, thank you so much, I love them both. How much do I owe you for them?”

“Is no cost to you, Tony take care of everything. But would like to use designs, only will make little different so yours is always special.”

“I don’t mind a bit, I have some embroidery to do on the dress but it is absolutely beautiful.”

Tamara changed back into her street clothes as Emma folded the costume and placed it into another box, then tied them both firmly shut. When Tamara stepped out of the dressing room back into the front of the store, she found Steve waiting with a box as well, ready to return to the tower. Antonio provided a sturdy bag for Tamara to cover the boxes, then she and Steve headed back outside to his bike. Steve placed his box down on the back of his bike, then took Tamara’s package and strapped them down securely as Tamara put her helmet back on. It was just a short ride back to the tower where Tamara slipped up to her room with both boxes and placed them on the bed. “JARVIS, thanks for helping Emma with the designs, I love the dress.”

“Knowing your love of nature, I thought you would appreciate her changes.”

“I do and I can't wait for the party. Where is everyone, I was gonna start some lunch.”

“Tony and Bruce are in the labs, the rest are in the training areas.”

“Let them know I’m getting lunch started, just sandwiches, see what everyone wants and I'll get it set out.”

Tamara made her way down to the kitchen and started getting the kitchen ready for everyone. She took out bread and started slicing, before stacking the slices on a tray and setting it down on the counter. She sliced several tomatoes and even found a jar of banana pepper rings in the fridge. Soon the counter was covered with condiments ranging from the usual mayo to several types of mustard and even relish. A tray with a variety of cheese slices was placed at the end of the counter, leaving just enough room for the meats. As Tamara was setting the trays of deli meats out, the others began to file into the kitchen. Clint and Tasha grabbed drinks from the fridge as Loki grabbed the plates and set them on the counter while Thor pulled out the chips and carried them into the dining room. Tamara started fixing her sandwiches as Bruce came into the kitchen without Tony. “Where’s Tony?”

“I told him it was time to eat but he said he had to finish the upgrades on the suit.”

Tamara just sighed and took her plate to the dining room. She had finished the first sandwich and still no sign of Tony. “JARVIS, can you tell Tony that if he doesn’t come up and eat lunch, he won't get any dessert tonight.”

After a couple of minutes, JARVIS replied, “He wishes to know what dessert will be.”

“Cake, probably red velvet, if everyone will stay out of the kitchen. Maybe chocolate mousse as well.”

“He is on his way up now.”

Once Tony had fixed his lunch and joined them at the table, Tamara asked JARVIS to make her a shopping list for supper.

“Where are we going?” Clint asked.

“We aren't going anywhere, I'm going shopping alone.” Clint started to interrupt but Tamara continued without giving him or anyone else a chance to say a word. “I know everyone is worried about me after what my grandmother said but stop and think about it. She told Clint personally, not everyone as a group, to watch out for me. So I'm sure that whatever it is he needs to protect me from won’t happen while everyone is still together. I'm smothering here, either let me have some space or I might as well stay locked up in the tower like a prisoner.”

Tamara finished eating and went into the kitchen to finalize the list for supper. After several minutes, she grabbed a coat and headed out alone. As she rode down to the garage in the elevator, she breathed a small sigh of relief that she was getting some freedom. She didn't know that even though they agreed not to go with her, Tony had JARVIS actively tracking her.

She made her way to a small farmer’s market and purchased a large variety of vegetables and fresh dairy products, then stowed them in her Jeep. At the butcher shop, she purchased a very large quantity of ground sirloin before going to a small grocery store where she purchased the rest of the items she needed to make supper. The final stop was the bakery Steve had shown her where she purchased a variety of bread and rolls to restock the kitchen.

She returned to the tower and unloaded everything to the elevator, then headed for the main floor. Loki was waiting for her and he helped her carry everything into the kitchen rather than her making several trips. By now it was almost 4 pm and she knew she needed to get the cakes cooking before she started making supper. It took almost an hour to prepare both cakes and the icing, then the chocolate mousse so it could be chilling in the fridge.

Loki watched as she made the cakes and mousse but never said a word. However, when Tamara began to pull out pots and pans to cook supper with, he was willing to assist her. “I can help if you tell me what you wish done.”

“OK, the potatoes need to be washed off and dumped into the largest pot and set to boil. Once I get the corn shucked, it needs to be set to boil as well. Pour some milk into the pot on the right and then add some butter, we'll put the corn in that pot.”

Loki washed the potatoes as she had instructed and dumped them into the largest pot and got them started cooking. He watched Tamara as she shucked an ear of corn, then began to assist her. Growing up in a palace, he was familiar with corn on the cob but he'd never seen it prepared as they were not allowed in the kitchens. When the corn was done, Tamara took some peculiar looking squash and began to peel them, then cut them into pieces. She put the pieces into a couple of casserole dishes, cut slices of butter and dropped them on top, then covered the squash with water. The last step before placing the casserole dishes in the oven to cook was to sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the top. Green beans were prepared and dropped into a pot but they were set aside until the main dish was closer to being ready.

Finally Tamara took out large bowls and began to mix meatloaf. She prepared a basic mix, then put some into a smaller bowl to add peppers and onions before dropping it into a pair of casserole dishes. Once the bowl was rinsed out, she again put some of the basic mixes into the bowl before adding a variety of seasonings. This mix was placed into a different colored pair of dishes and set aside. The remaining mix got different seasonings and was placed into the third pair of casserole dishes. Finally, all the meatloaf was placed into the oven to cook and Tamara left the kitchen.

While supper was cooking, Tamara went to her room and pulled out a small sewing kit, sorting through the embroidery thread within the box. Finding the colors she needed, she sat down to sketch out the designs Nadia had always stressed including on clothing. It took her a few minutes to remember which designs were for her and which were Nadia’s but once she had drawn them all out, she found it easy to remember. Taking the harlequin outfit out first, she threaded a needle with the proper color thread and began to embroider around the wrists, being careful not to make the stitches too tight so they wouldn't break as she moved. By the time JARVIS announced it was time for her to finish preparing supper, she had finished one wrist and was about halfway done with the other. She knew she could finish the costume tonight easily but it would take hours for her to embroider the dress.

As she finished preparing supper, JARVIS was notifying everyone that dinner would be ready shortly. When the others arrived, they took care of setting the table and getting everything else needed for supper. As she pulled food out of the ovens and off the stove, everyone grabbed something before going to the dining room. While they ate supper, talked revolved around Halloween and the inevitable flood of children who would be coming to the tower to trick-or-treat. Every year, everyone came to the lobby to hand out small bags of Avengers themed toys to the children. Tamara hadn't come last year since she was still in a wheelchair but everyone wanted her to come this year; Loki was encouraged to join them as well.

“I thought the whole idea of hiding my identity was so no one knew I was part of the team.”

“It’s just a lot of kids.”

“Kids and their parents Tony.”

“Well yeah, but..”

“Tam, if you wear a SHIELD outfit, we can tell people you're just a medic. If anyone asks why a medic goes along, we'll just tell the truth, to take care of anyone who might get hurt. You know how kids are, they'll think we mean regular people because most of them don’t believe superheroes can be hurt.”

“You've got a point, I'll come help if Loki comes; he shouldn't have to stay up here alone.”

“I do not think it wise for me to join these festivities, many people were injured or killed by my actions.”

“I know you can change your appearance brother, so you can join us. It would please me to have you help us bring joy to these little ones.”

“And who should I pretend to be, one of the Warriors or maybe Sif?”

“Nay, but if you showed your other Asgardian form, none would recognize you as Loren.”

“True, only you and Mother knew me in that form, I shall consider it.”

Tamara finished eating and brought out both the Red Velvet cake and the mousse that she had made, setting them on the table. Slicing the cake, she took a piece herself, then took one of the cups of mousse. She ate the cake first, then she sprayed a generous topping of Redi-Whip on the mousse, slowly savoring the flavor as she ate. When she was done eating, she stacked her dishes, then started to leave the room. “I’m gonna skip the movie tonight, I've got to finish something in my room, see y'all in the morning.”

Tamara went back to her room and finished the embroidery on the costume, then sketched out the designs for the hem of the dress. Once she was satisfied with the design, she chose colors that would stand out against the deep blue of the underskirt and began to sew. It was a simple pattern that looked like vines and flowers but if you knew what to look for, you could see the runic patterns that made up the vines. She had JARVIS remind her to take a break every hour since this was delicate work and hard on the eyes. When 11 pm rolled around, she put the dress away and went to take a relaxing bath before bed.


	38. Chapter 38

When she awoke early on Halloween, it was raining outside, the kind of slow drizzling rain that made her want to just curl up under a blanket and sleep the day away but she didn't give in to temptation. “JARVIS, weather forecast please.”

“The expected high will be in the lower 60’s today. Although it is currently drizzling, radar shows it to be moving eastward with winds of around 10 mph. There is a slight chance of rain showers later in the day.”

“What time will the tower open for trick-or-treating?”

“The tower will be open from 5:30 pm until 9 pm. However, the Avengers will be visiting the children’s wards at the local hospitals from 12 pm to 4:30 pm and they wish you and Loki to accompany them.”

Tamara pulled out shorts and a tank top and dressed quickly, then pulled her hair back into a ponytail before slipping her running shoes on. “I’ll be ready, I’m going for a run, I’ll eat something on my way down.” Heading into the small kitchenette in her suite, she grabbed a container of juice and a couple of pastries as she headed for the elevator. When she exited in the lobby, she greeted the guard on duty as she threw out her juice bottle. “Morning Eddie”

“You sure are dedicated, I hate rainy days.”

Tamara shrugged, “It’s just a drizzle and JARVIS says it’s moving out. Gonna be in the low 60’s today. Gotta stay in shape and even this beats running around inside.”

“Where are you running today?”

“Thought I'd make a run around the park, it’s early enough there won't be much traffic.”

The guard just shook his head as Tamara headed out the door and up Central Park West. About 15 minutes later, Steve and Clint stepped out of an elevator into the lobby. “You two just missed Tamara, she left about 15 minutes ago. Said she was going around the park today, headed north up Central Park West.”

“Thanks, Eddie, you bringing the grandkids tonight?”

“Yeah, and we're bringing a few neighbor kids whose parents can't get off work.”

Clint and Steve decided to follow Tamara’s path around the park. Neither one spoke as they jogged in the cool mist that still fell. They reached the north end of the park and turned east before they caught sight of Tamara. She had stopped to help an older woman carry several bags into one of the apartment buildings that lined the north side. She caught sight of them as she came back out and crossed the street, not waiting for them to catch up. They had almost caught up when she reached a construction area and the whistles and yells started. She didn't slow down a bit but she wasn't surprised when Steve and Clint caught up. Steve moved to her left and Clint to her right and the noise stopped; it was clear from their behavior that they wouldn't tolerate anyone bothering her. As they ran south down the east side of the park, both men stayed with her. Finally, they turned west to run the southern edge of the park back to the tower.

When they reached the tower, the shift had changed for security and now an older woman was manning the front desk. She took one look at Tamara and grabbed a towel and tossed it to her, then tossed towels to Clint and Steve. All three took them gratefully before heading upstairs. Tamara headed to the gym to finish her daily workout as Steve and Clint continued upstairs. Once in the gym, she made her way to the gymnastics area and began to work, practicing the moves she wanted to use during the carnival and her juggling. “JARVIS, I’d like some privacy until breakfast please.”

“I will alert you if anyone approaches. Are you practicing for the carnival?”

“Yeah, it’s been a few years since I've juggled, I just wish I had a partner. I used to juggle with Nadia, you wouldn't believe some of the things we bounced between us.”

“Clint was in the circus, perhaps he knows how.”

When JARVIS announced breakfast was almost ready, Tamara put the juggling equipment away and headed upstairs to eat. When she was done, she let them know she’d be in her room until it was time to leave, then went to shower and work on the embroidery for her dress. By lunch time she was almost done and she put the dress away to finish that night. Making her way to the kitchen, she made a couple of sandwiches and went back to her room to change. She slipped her suit on and automatically checked the pockets for supplies. Finding only one glucose pen, she made her way down to the infirmary level to restock. While she was down there, she checked her other supplies out of habit and filled a box with items to leave in her room to refill her satchel. She filled one pocket with glucose gel packets before grabbing the box and returning to her room.

She left her hood off as she made her way back to the common floor to meet everyone. When she arrived, everyone but Thor and Loki had joined the group while Tony was flying over in his suit. When Thor finally arrived, everyone except Tamara was confused at first because it didn't look to be Loki with him. Instead, he had a woman with him wearing armor much like Sif wore, only it was gold with green trim. Her long black hair flowed down her shoulders but was held back on the sides with gold clips. Toi went right to the woman and chirruped happily, confirming Tamara’s suspicion.

“So this is what you look like as a woman, very nice Loki, or should we call you Loren now?”

Loki studied Tamara, “You recognize me?”

“Well duh, long black hair and green eyes with the Asgardian outfit. Gotta be you since the Bifrost didn’t activate. Not to mention I know the old tales, the ones that show you as being both male and female at different times.”

“You are right, I am both male and female; I only show the form I choose.”

No one said a word as they rode down to the garage in the elevator but they kept glancing at Loki like they couldn't believe what they saw. Toi joined them in the limo as a house cat but everyone knew she would change before exiting the limo at the hospitals. It didn't take long for them to arrive at the first hospital and they were ushered inside and up to the Children’s Ward while photographers snapped pictures and reporters yelled out questions. The administrators of the hospitals were well aware of how to deal with this and they motioned to security to block the reporters from following the team. Once inside the large rec room set aside for the children, everyone split off to meet the children while security wheeled in the boxes full of goodies that Tony had brought. Tamara and Loki stood near the door, uncertain what to do with themselves until Loki noticed a young boy sitting alone in a corner, quietly watching the other children with longing in his eyes.

He walked over and knelt by the boy “Hi, I'm Loren.”

The boy didn't say anything and Loki grew puzzled until a nurse stopped by, “Jack’s deaf, but he can sign very well.”

Loki stood and noticed Tamara watching everyone, still unsure of her reception. Toi stood beside her in full armor, even though it would normally be against sanitation rules. Tony had explained to the staff about her and knew the children would love to see the huge cat. _‘Toi, can you and Tamara join me? This boy cannot hear and I know Tamara is fluent in sign language.’_

Toi chirruped at Tamara and gave her a small shove towards Loki. Loki explained to Tamara that the boy could not hear and she simply nodded, she could see the longing in his eyes to be part of the activities as well.

Kneeling beside him, she tapped his shoulder to get his attention. _‘Hi, I'm Tammy and this is Loren, what’s your name?’_

_‘I’m Jack’_

_‘Would you like to meet someone special, she looks tough but she’s just a big softie.’_ Jack nodded and Tamara motioned to Toi to come where he could see her. _‘This is Shadow, she’s from Asgard like Thor and Loren are.’_

Toi curled up beside the boy and he rubbed a hand down her smooth fur, awe evident in his eyes as he stroked her. He begins to relax as Toi stretches out beside him and soon a rumbling purr begins, luring other children to join them. After a few minutes, they had a small group of children gathered around them, gently stroking Toi as Loki told a story and created illusions with his magic. Before long, it was time to leave the hospital, but while Toi had children occupied, the Avengers went off one by one to meet children too injured or sick to visit the rec room.

They followed the same routine at each hospital they visited, Loki would seek out a child who was withdrawn and begin to tell stories that soon had a small gathering of children listening in. When asked who he was, Thor simply introduced “Loren” as a relative from Asgard. As Loki entertained the children with stories, the others would spread out to visit children in their rooms.

The last stop was Cornell and before they left, Tony visited the burn unit with Tamara to see the child they were helping. They didn’t enter the room but he couldn't help but think how small and fragile she looked in the large bed, bandages covering most of her body as machines displayed data on her condition to the nursing staff. Her mother was there with a young boy but they didn't disturb either of them, just asked the nursing staff questions about the girl’s recovery. Tony arranged for supper to be delivered when he found out the father spent his nights here and his days working at SI.

When they finally returned to the tower, the lobby now had several separate areas set aside, one for each team member. Thor planned for Loki to join him but Tamara had refused the offer of an area for her, stating that it was unlikely anyone would be interested in sitting down with her. Dugan had been invited to join them as well and at first, he refused, but when Steve asked a second time he agreed. The only condition was he be allowed to wear his normal clothes and not a uniform like the others. Steve just laughed and told him what time to meet everyone for a light supper before they headed downstairs. Just before going downstairs, Tamara changed into the SHIELD uniform that Clint brought her back from base.

They got downstairs about 5:15 pm and Tamara was amazed at the crowd outside the tower. Extra security guards were working to make sure the children were safe. Tamara had expected the children to rush in when the doors were opened but to her surprise, they didn’t. Buffet tables were set up with sandwiches that children liked, along with other foods, like pizza, fries and chicken nuggets. Before each child left the building, they received a gift bag from the main desk which included a variety of Avengers themed toys and a few treats.

Tamara moved among the children with Toi by her side looking like a house cat. Several times she took plates of food to the others, especially Steve knowing his metabolism was so much higher than normal. When she visited Steve, she chatted with Dugan, making sure he was doing well before moving on. She had just joined Bruce when a young voice asked who she was. She heard Bruce tell them she was a medic who worked with them and then she felt a small hand tug at hers. A little boy stood there and then he suddenly grabbed her and hugged tight before letting go and running back to Bruce. Bruce just gave her a small shrug and went back to talking to the children. Finally, the night was over and once the last child left, everyone went upstairs. Tamara had slipped upstairs a little earlier and when they arrived, she had takeout and drinks waiting on everyone. As they ate, they talked about the children they had met and just unwound in general. They were still talking when Tamara left to go to her room to finish work on her dress.


	39. Chapter 39

Thankfully, Friday was again a slow day with nothing that needed the Avengers. Tony spent the day in the garage, tearing apart an old car. Tamara had expressed an interest in learning to take care of her own vehicles, so both of them were covered in oil and grease as they dismantled the engine on a 1969 Pontiac Firebird. The car was in rough shape, having been discovered in a junkyard just a few weeks earlier on a mission. It wasn't fancy or expensive like most his cars, but Tony loved good ‘ole American muscle and he was determined to restore this car. When Tamara had asked him to teach her to work on cars, he had decided this would be perfect for the old car. Bruce stayed busy in the labs while the rest spent the day either working out or relaxing with video games.

When Saturday came, Tamara met Steve and Clint down in the lobby for their usual morning run. The sun was just breaking the sky, painting the sky in hues of pale pink, orange and lavender when they exited the tower. Central Park was crowded with a small army of people finishing the preparations for the SI Carnival so without saying a word they all turned south from the tower. They ran down 8th Street then turned east on 49th Street before turning north again when they reached 5th Avenue. Finally reaching the park again, the trio turned west to return to the tower.

They took the elevator back to the main level where everyone was gathering for breakfast. Vivian and Roy were setting out breakfast as the trio arrived and they quickly washed up and took seats. Breakfast was quiet as plates were prepared and everyone started to eat, some of them still half asleep. But as coffee and food kicked in, chatter began around the table about the activities for the day.

“So Tam, when do we get to see your costume? Obviously, you know what everyone else is wearing.”

“Oh, I'll find you, Tony, you can count on that. Jake knows how I'll be dressed, I just want to help make kids laugh today.”

“So no hints?”

“You just got the only hint I’m giving.” Tamara finished eating and started to leave the table. “Quick question, do we get to eat during the day?”

“Are you kidding me? You think I'd let Steve or Thor go all day without eating? Of course we eat, some just more than others. Everyone has an assistant assigned to their area, they run errands or whatever help is needed.”

“OK, I’m gonna take a shower before I head downstairs. What time are all of you expected?”

Tony sighed “We're there from 9 am until 4 pm when the carnival ends. Then it’s home for supper and to change before we have the charity ball at the Plaza at 8 pm. We've got the Grand Ballroom for the main party, plus the Centennial Foyer for drop-ins. There’s a private dressing room behind the stage; if anything happens, head for the back of the stage. Fury is sending a pair of SHIELD agents to stand guard; our gear will be inside.”

“I'll see everyone in a bit.”

“Carry your ID badge if you can, your name is on the vendor list for food just like everyone else. Plus we have a couple of areas set aside with restricted access.”

“No problem, I planned to wear a comm in case anything happens.”

Tamara took off to her room for a relaxing shower before laying out the harlequin costume. She studied the sapphire blue and teal tights before pulling them on, then slipped the shirt on, leaving the gloves off for now. She brushed her long auburn hair and pulled it into two ponytails, then slipped the hood over her head. She pulled the ponytails out the slots in the hood, then attached the top of the hat, tucking her ponytails inside the hat. She reached under her bed and pulled out a small box; opening it, she took out the shoes inside and slipped them on her feet. She walked into the bathroom and pulled out a stage makeup kit, then began applying face paint. She first painted her face white, then she put a teal diamond over her left eye, before using the makeup to highlight her mouth. “How’s it look J?”

“Very original, I do believe the others will be surprised.”

“Thanks, J” Tamara tucked her ID badge into a pocket sewn into the waistband of the outfit, then slipped the teal glove on her left hand and the sapphire blue one on her right hand. “Is everyone gone?”

“They are all exiting the lobby now. I shall inform security that you are preparing to leave.”

Tamara took the elevator down to the lobby and waved to the security guard as she exited the building. She saw lots of people, adults included, dressed in costume and headed for the park. Tamara had sent Toi down with Thor and Loki earlier but she reached out and felt the bond between them. Glad that Toi seemed contented, Tamara entered the park searching for her first target. She had decided a couple of days ago that she wanted to try to sneak up on each of her friends without them recognizing her.

SI had reserved the entire Sheep Meadow natural area and it had been transformed into a small carnival. Rides for small children were scattered around the area, along with games and activities for older children. Tasha and Clint had volunteered to teach children about safety and awareness, including teaching children simple self-defense moves with the aid of volunteers. Thor and Loki were telling stories of Asgard to the children. Tony and Bruce had an area together where children could learn about science while Steve was set up with tables and art supplies. Several of Tamara’s theater friends were setup with Steve and they were busy doing face painting for the children and showing them how to make costumes from ordinary items around the home.

Making her way first to where her theater friends were located, she found Brian and Lizzie who had stashed juggling equipment for her. Since she hadn't juggled in a long time, she had only purchased clubs and balls but she had decided to include some ribbons as well. There were already a couple of theater people dressed as clowns so she simply blended in with them. She could see Steve as he helped children at the art table and she wondered if maybe he would be a good first target. Gathering her courage, she decided the only way to test herself was to just do it. She took a bag of juggling balls and began to juggle, then started walking towards the table where Steve was working. Knowing her voice would give her away, she simply watched as he helped little kids with finger painting.

Steve could feel someone watching him and he looked up, surprised to see a clown of sorts. It was easy to tell the clown was female with the skintight outfit they wore. They were juggling a few small balls as they watched and he was amused to notice that they didn’t seem to be looking at the balls at all as they juggled. Another clown came over with clubs and began to juggle near her, then they turned and tossed one of the clubs into the mix. In response, the first clown tossed a ball at them and they continued until they had switched props. Both clowns bowed slightly as they continued to juggle, then they walked off in different directions.

Tamara had noticed Steve watching and it made her nervous until another clown came over and they switched props. Silently thankful that Steve didn’t recognize her, she worked her way towards Bruce and Tony. She took her time, juggling and entertaining children as she went. Finally, she got close enough to be able to watch them but not really intrude. She knew it was unlikely either of them would notice her watching. After a while she got bored and made her way back to Brian and Lizzie, turning in the clubs she had been using.

She took a turn at the face painting booth, but instead she used paints to draw fanciful designs as temporary tattoos for children. Around 10 am she got hungry again so she took a break to grab some food. She noticed that Steve hadn't left his spot for more than 5 minutes so she decided to grab him something to eat as well. She grabbed Lizzie to help her carry the food and together they walked to the Ballfields Cafe where she ordered several burgers, fries,and hot dogs the way Steve liked them. Lizzie ordered burgers for her and Brian and then Tamara ordered something for herself. Once everything was ready, it was loaded into a box for easy carrying. Lizzie carried the drinks and together they walked back towards the art area.

Steve had taken a quick break to grab another drink and when he returned he noticed a box sitting beside his stuff. He slowed down but before he could approach the box, Tamara’s voice came over the comm.

“Thought you might be getting hungry.”

“Thanks, where are you?” Steve looked around but he couldn't see Tamara anywhere. He saw a small group of clowns taking a break and he recognized the one clown he’d seen earlier.

“Oh, I’m around, I’ll give you a hint, you saw me earlier and I’m close enough to see you now. Don’t worry about the food, I was hungry too. I'm gonna go wander around a bit, I'll see everyone for lunch.” Tamara had finished eating and she decided to go see what Loki and Thor were doing. She was joined by Lizzie and Brian as she walked and she chatted with them. They listened to Thor telling stories about battles and watched as Loki used magic to create illusions to accompany the stories. After several minutes, the trio headed for the final pair of Avengers. Along the way, Tamara juggled a set of clubs she'd borrowed from another clown.

When they reached Clint and Tasha, she was busy with a small group of kids as Clint watched. Tamara noticed Clint glance towards them and she remembered what JARVIS had said about his time in the circus. Making a quick decision, she moved closer to him and continued to juggle. When she was sure he was watching, she tossed a club his way and was pleased when he caught it and tossed it back. She tossed another his way and he shifted so he was facing her and caught the club and returned it. Brian was carrying a bag of juggling balls and he pulled them out and began to toss them in with the clubs Tamara was already juggling. She continued to toss clubs to Clint and then began to include the balls as well. Clint never hesitated, he accepted whatever she tossed his way and they began to juggle items between them. After a couple of minutes, Tamara began to toss the clubs off to Brian and Lizzie instead of sending them back to Clint. She continued to juggle the balls as she nodded at Clint and he grinned as she walked off.

Tamara knew they were meeting at noon for lunch and she regretted that she wouldn't be able to keep the deception up much longer. She wandered around with Brian and Lizzie until it was time to meet the others for lunch. Brian and Lizzie returned to the art area as Tamara made her way to the tent set aside for the Avengers. 

“JARVIS, am I late?”

“Everyone else is already present.”

Tamara entered the tent and she could feel everyone watching as she crossed the grass. Only Toi twining around her feet kept anyone from telling her to leave. Even though they didn't recognize her costume, they knew exactly who she was.

“Hey Tam, cool outfit. Thought that was you when you tossed that club at me.”

“Thanks for being a good sport, JARVIS suggested I try to get you to juggle with me.”

“Anytime.”

The team enjoyed lunch and chatted about the children they had met so far. Before too long, it was time to return to their assigned activity areas. Tamara returned to the art area to help with face painting, then wandered around the park the rest of the time. Finally, it was time to meet everyone for the question and answer session. Most of the time when the Avengers were being questioned, it was reporters but at the SI carnival, it was different. Instead of reporters, children got to ask them questions and they usually got some funny ones mixed in with serious questions. Everyone enjoyed these sessions because they could relax and enjoy the time.

This year, Tony had invited Peter Parker to host. He had discovered that Parker had a total jerk for a boss, one J. Jonah Jameson, and he loved to throw things in people’s faces. Tony started the session off by announcing that the Avengers were interested in meeting with other local superheroes. He made it known that Spider-man had already met with the team and Tamara quietly informed him that she had met Daredevil as well. Either one of them could put them in touch with a representative for the team. Peter had kids lined up to ask questions, and once they finished, the kid took a seat or left the area. Kids wanted to know their favorite colors, favorite foods, even what they did to relax. They didn't seem surprised to discover the team enjoyed video games or reading. Some of the food choices had the kids laughing, especially when Thor couldn't decide on a favorite pop-tart flavor. Before too long though, the fun had to end as everyone had to return to the tower to get ready for the costume party.

Tamara slipped back into the tower ahead of the team and headed upstairs to shower. She was a bit tired from all the activity that day so she decided to take a long hot shower. As she felt the water beating down on her back, JARVIS interrupted to request her choice for supper. Tamara knew Tony was ordering takeout and figuring the party would be high on sugar, she ordered a meal high in protein. By the time she finished showering, JARVIS announced that supper had been delivered.

When Tamara joined the others in the media room, she grabbed her Chinese and joined Steve on the love-seat. She nodded towards the two extra women seated in the room. The small dark-haired woman curled up with Thor had to be Jane Foster, which meant the other dark-haired woman must be her intern, Darcy Lewis. Everyone was quiet as they ate and cleaned up the remains of supper. By now it was almost 6 pm and everyone started leaving to change into their costumes for the party. Tamara was content to wait quietly, especially since she had to wait for Mama Jo to arrive to fix her hair.

When Mama Jo arrived, Tamara took her to her room and pulled on the under-slip for her dress, then sat quietly as Mama Jo styled her hair into an intricate braided style with soft wisps framing her face. Mama Jo fixed her makeup and then bid Tamara a good night as she left the tower. On her way out, she encountered most of the rest of the team. Tony and Pepper were dressed as Oberon and Tatiana, the fabled king and queen of elves, complete with holographic wings created by small devices embedded in the back of the costumes. Tasha was dressed as Joan of Arc in armor while Clint was dressed as Legolas from Lord of the Rings. When Tony started laughing, Clint just glared at him, then at Tasha who had picked his costume after he lost a bet. Jane and Thor soon joined them, dressed as Arthur and Guinevere while Darcy was dressed in a similar costume dressed as Morgan le Fay. Loki finally joined them dressed as Jack Frost, complete with blue-tinged skin. Bruce finally joined them dressed as Ben Franklin and everyone laughed as Tony pouted when he realized that Bruce was brushing the edge of the costume agreement. Finally, Steve joined them, dressed in a black tuxedo with tails and a white mask covering a portion of his face.

“Sir, Tamara asked to me tell everyone she will arrive at the party shortly. She is not ready yet and she does not wish for the team to be late.”

“Let her know I’ll have a driver waiting for her downstairs, Happy will be staying at the party with us.” It was only a short ride to the Plaza hotel and soon the Avengers were enjoying the costume party. Not a single one noticed when Tamara finally arrived around 8:30 pm.


	40. Chapter 40

Tamara had never expected to be where she was now; walking into the ballroom she almost felt like Cinderella. She got to the party after everyone else and made her way over to the table that Happy guarded while the others danced. Tony was seated with Pepper in his lap and Tamara had caught his eye as she walked across the floor, her mask firmly in place. Pepper turned when Tony stopped talking and Tamara could tell that Pepper had recognized her.

“Wow, where'd you get that dress?”

“It's modeled after one of my grandmother's dresses but I had this one made to fit me.”

“That harlequin costume today was something else. Where'd you learn tricks like that?”

“There's still lots you don't know about me, Tony. A woman has to have her secrets, right Pepper?”

Pepper just laughed as Clint and Tasha rejoined the group, followed shortly thereafter by Bruce and the others. Jane and Darcy flew in and Thor had been loud in his thanks for being able to spend this holiday with his beloved Jane. Bruce had found Darcy to be a safe person to be with, and he enjoyed dancing with her but they both agreed they were just friends when they chatted. Loki had wandered around, watching the crowd but dancing with no one. Steve had danced with several women, all at the urging of either Tony or Pepper.

After getting a snack, Tamara set out to enjoy the evening. She enjoyed a dance with Brian before Lizzie laughingly pulled him away to a quiet corner. After that, she danced with several different young men until one man in a pirate costume caught her eye. He got her a drink at the bar and Tamara was careful to watch as he took it from the bartender and handed it over to her. Over the next three hours, she spent most of her time with him. They took a short walk outside and he was quick to apologize when she rejected his attempts to get more friendly. In spite of the crowd outside, she was hesitant to be out of sight of her friends so they returned to the dance floor. It wasn't long after that before Steve interrupted and swept her away.

“Tam, you enjoying yourself?”

“I feel great Steve, the music is wonderful, the night is young and I'm dancing with a great guy.”

Steve blushed, “Bruce said you've been with that guy most the night. I just wanted to check on you.”

“He's nothing, you're the best guy here and there's only one thing that would make the night more perfect.”

“What's that?”

“Kiss me..”

Before Steve had a chance to respond, Tamara had wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, lightly at first, then with more force. She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his waist, her hands roaming across his back as she kissed him again. Steve couldn't stop himself from kissing her back; his tongue sought hers as she moaned softly, her lips tasting sweet against his own. Steve felt his heart beat a little faster and it seemed to last an eternity but then he remembered that this was Tamara, not just any woman but part of his team. He pulled away reluctantly and started to lead her off the dance floor when he felt her stumble. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he led her over to the table where Tasha and Clint were seated with Bruce.

Tasha said nothing when she saw him helping Tamara over, face flushed and her lips slightly swollen but she noticed that Steve looked flustered behind his mask as he helped Tamara to a chair. Before Tamara could sit down, she brought her hand to her mouth. “I don't feel so good.”

“I'll take her to the ladies room, let Pepper know where we are.”

Tasha took Tamara's arm and guided her off towards the ladies room. When Tony and Pepper returned to the table a few minutes later, Pepper went to join them but she was soon back. She whispered something to Tony who clearly looked angry and he took out his phone, bringing up an interface with JARVIS. He typed in a few commands, then studied the display.

“Time to go, Steve can you and Bruce escort the ladies home? Tasha will meet you at the car with Tamara; Happy can come back for the rest of us.”

“Sure”

Steve and Bruce escorted Pepper, Jane, and Darcy towards the car, only stopping by the ladies room to meet Tasha and Tamara. It was clear that Tamara wasn't feeling well as she sat slumped against Tasha in a chair. Steve easily picked her up and carried her out the door behind the others. As he was settling her into the limo, he heard Pepper talking softly to Tasha behind him and he was surprised when she joined him in the limo and ordered Happy to take them home without Tasha.

Back inside the ballroom, Tony was looking for Loki and when he found him, he brought him back to the table the group had been sharing. Clint wasn't surprised when Tasha rejoined him and when she told him why Pepper had taken Tamara home, he got angry. When Tony got Loki back to the table, he brought his phone out and showed everyone a picture of the man Tamara had spent so much time with earlier.

“We need to find this guy before he leaves.”

“Why?”

“Because he was the only one hanging all over Tamara and he was getting her drunk.”

“Does he not know she is not of age yet?”

“Some guys just don't care Thor, all they care about is getting laid.”

Loki was the first to spot the man and he was determined to ensure he never repeated this night. Changing his appearance, Loki approached the younger man. “I saw you with a lovely young lady earlier, is she your date?”

“Nah but she will be, I plan to take her home later. She looks like a nice piece, I bet she’s good in bed.”

Loki was furious but he didn't let it show, he just quietly waited while JARVIS signaled the others. He was listening to the young braggart as he described his exploits in bed when he felt Thor's presence as he approached and he chuckled softly. The man stopped talking, wondering what Loki found so funny when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder and he turned, only to be confronted by Thor's massive bulk glaring down at him. Loki allowed his normal appearance to return and gripped the man's arm. “You will come with us, quietly.”

The man nodded silently and allowed Loki and Thor to lead him away from the gathering to the outside. As they exited the building, the man could see Tony, flanked by Clint and Tasha. “Mr. Stark, it's an honor to meet you..”

Tony cut him off quickly, “I want to know about that girl you were with earlier.”

“Her, just some chick I met here, but we're going back to my hotel later. She's got a nice pair of tits and I can't wait to see the rest.”

Thor rumbled angrily behind him and the man turned, surprised at the reaction. “You will not touch her, you puny mortal.”

“Thor, buddy, let me handle this. See, he's right, you picked the wrong girl to try to get drunk to take home, she's kinda family, our family. And neither I nor any of the other Avengers take kindly to someone getting her drunk to take advantage of her. Consider this your only warning to never do that again.”

Tony turned to walk away, the others starting to follow behind but Tasha lingered for a minute. She stepped close to the man and whispered something to him that left him whimpering as she turned and walked off. They calmly walked back into the building and waited for Happy to return. When he finally did, they left the party and returned to the tower.

Back at the tower, Pepper had told Steve and Bruce about the guy getting Tamara drunk. Steve felt angry, then embarrassed as he remembered how he had responded to her kiss. He should have known something wasn't right when she kissed him. Pepper had put Tamara to bed after asking Jake to take a look at her. He confirmed the alcohol in her system but said she should be fine after a good night's sleep, although she would feel the aftereffects. When Tony and the others arrived back at the tower, Steve wanted to leave and hunt the guy down, until Tony assured him it was already taken care of.

The next morning, everyone made sure to keep things quiet, even Thor. While Tamara slept, Tony had located the bartender from the previous night and had Happy bring him to the tower. Tamara slept until almost 9 am when she woke with a pounding headache. As she was stirring, she heard someone enter the room and opened her eyes to find Tasha looking at her with concern.

Tasha handed her a glass of water and some Tylenol, then sat beside her. “How are you feeling kiddo?”

“Horrible, what happened last night?”

“That guy you were with all night was getting you drunk but Steve interrupted before anything could happen.”

Tamara blushed as she remembered the previous night. "Oh my god, I kissed him."

"That guy, no big deal, we took care of him."

"Not him, I kissed Steve."

"Don't worry about it, he knows you weren't yourself. Get a shower, trust me, you'll feel better."

Tasha left as Tamara headed for the shower. In the bathroom, Tamara quickly stripped, then climbed into the warm shower JARVIS had started. As she stood under the relaxing spray, her mind drifted back to the previous night and kissing Steve. She couldn't believe she done that; she remembered the way his muscles flexed and that he had responded at first. But she knew he'd never see her as anything more than part of the team, even as she admitted to herself that she enjoyed kissing him. She stepped out of the shower and dried off, then stared at her naked body in the mirror. Would she ever find someone who could look past the scars on her body and still find her beautiful?

Tasha made her way down to the gym and watched Thor and Steve work out for a few minutes before interrupting them. "So Steve, what happened last night?"

“What do you mean?”

“She says she kissed you; she seemed embarrassed so I told her you understood she wasn’t herself and not to worry about it.”

Steve pounded away at the bag, hoping they would think the blush creeping up his face was from exertion and not the memory of her lips on his. “Yeah, she did, and thanks, she feeling OK now?”

“Bit of a headache but she'll be fine.”

Tasha left for SHIELD while Thor and Steve moved to the weight room. They worked well into the morning, both men needing to work off steam. Steve tried not to let his thoughts drift to the memory of Tamara kissing him but he couldn't avoid it. Thor's thoughts were also on Tamara but he was only grateful that the man had not had his way with her. A short time later, both men saw Tamara pass by as she went to the room with the gymnastics equipment. A single look between them was all it took to agree to check on her, so they made their way to the door and peered in. Inside, Tamara was already hurrying through a warm-up routine. She moved straight to the uneven bars and began to work, pushing herself hard. As she moved to the parallel bars, they returned to the ring to spar more, and if they were watching for Tamara to finish, then that suited them both.

Unknown to Tamara, Clint was perched in a vent in the side wall, watching her as she went through her routine and he could see the anger in her every move. Clint knew she needed to deal with her anger, so he took a page from Tasha's book and slipped from the vent to join her in the room. He knew the last thing she needed was to be startled, so he moved so she would be able to see him, then just stood and watched.

Finally, she took notice of him watching and she dismounted from the bars. She just stood watching him for a minute before she sat down, a dejected look on her face. "Clint, what did I do wrong? I was careful, I watched every time he got me a drink. I never saw him put anything in it."

Clint sat down with her. "It wasn't your fault. Tony questioned the bartender this morning; he said the guy picked you out when you arrived. The bartender was using alcohol in your drinks from the beginning. It started with a little and went up with every drink. Apparently, they had some kind of deal going on."

"So he never cared about me?" Tamara asked quietly.

Clint could see the hurt in her eyes and hear it in her voice. "I'm sorry, you would have been just another conquest for him. C'mon, I know what you need."

Clint stood and reached a hand out to pull Tamara to her feet and after a moment’s hesitation, she took his hand. He led her into the main gym and over to the sparring ring, then pulled on protective equipment, “You got to let the anger out or it’ll eat you up, trust me.”

Tamara looked at Clint and shook her head, “That’s not what I need Clint, I need to face him.”

“Are you sure?”

“What if I’m not the first? How many lives could he have ruined? He never even bothered to find out how old I was, what if he’s done this to someone even younger than me? I need to know…”

Clint nodded, "Give us a little time to pick him up. You want company?"

"I don't know"

"We'll be here if you need us."

"I know; right now I just need some space."

"JARVIS can let you know when we bring him in."

Tamara nodded and left the gym, heading for the pool. Clint looked over where Steve and Thor were working with free weights and nodded. Both men left the gym to change; then joined Clint in the media room.

"JARVIS, have you located him yet?"

"I found a reservation under his company at the St. Regis for the Imperial Suite. He has a reservation at the King Cole Bar at 5 pm today. Shall I send the information to Agent Romanoff?”

“Just tell her we’re going to pick him up, she doesn't need to leave headquarters early.”

The three men left the media room and entered the elevator; once they reached the garage, they found Happy waiting with a limo. When they entered the limo, they found Loki already waiting for them. It was a short distance from the tower to the St. Regis and Happy dropped them at the front entrance.

Back at the tower, Tamara was floating in the pool, thinking about confronting the man and she realized she didn’t even know his name. “JARVIS, can you give me his name and stats please?”

“Name: Kevin Wayne Anders. Age: 32. Height: 5’10”. Weight: 175 lbs. Principal Stockholder of Anders Pharmaceuticals. Unmarried. Is there any other information you require?”

“No, I think that covers it, you think I can take him in a fight?”

“I have no doubts, Tamara. I found no records of self-defense courses in his background. His high school and college records list only the basic physical education courses with his extracurricular activities being science focused.”

“Has Tony been able to find any of his past victims?”

“We have the dates of prior agreements with the bartender and I am currently trying to determine which woman he spent the majority of his time with. However, he seems to be targeting women with dark hair, which is the only common factor so far.”

“Thanks, J, let me know if you find anything else. Any ideas how to approach him?”

“None”

As Tamara pulled herself from the pool, an idea began to form, a way to maybe get him to realize the errors of his ways. “Are there any empty suites they can dump him in?”

“May I inquire why?”

“What if I act like the guys made a mistake? Like I want him? Maybe I can lead him on, give him a taste of what he's done to other women.”

Tamara was in the elevator on her way back to her room when JARVIS announced that a suite was being prepared on the 65th floor to hold him. “J, tell the guys to feel free to rough him up a little if he fights, but not too much. We don’t want him thinking about pressing charges against them, even if Tony can take care of it. And tell the guys I have a plan, to just go along with me.”

Tamara entered her room and studied her wardrobe, normally she’d wear a dress to attract a guy but she wanted to be able to fight if needed. She finally selected a pair of black jeans that she knew accentuated her legs and slipped them on before adding a sturdy leather belt. Standing there in just her bra, it took her several minutes before deciding on a deep green tank top that she slipped on. A pair of her favorite work boots, complete with steel toes completed the clothing. She sat down in front of the vanity and brushed her hair before securing it into a bun in the back, allowing a few strands to hang loosely around her face. A touch of makeup, her dagger and one of Remy’s collapsible bo staffs in her back pocket completed her preparations.

When she reached the 65th floor, she found Tony waiting for her. “You sure you want to do this?”

“I need to do this Tony, trust me. This isn't my first rodeo like I said, I've still got secrets.”

Tony nodded and showed her the suite. Bruce was inside hiding small canisters throughout the rooms. “Don’t go in the bedroom with him, JARVIS only has audio in there, the rest of the room has hidden cameras throughout. We need a safe word, something to signal if you need help. The canisters contain a knockout gas that we can remote trigger but it’ll knock you out too.”

“I understand, does it matter what the word is?”

“As long as it’s something you wouldn't say in normal conversation. Don’t want anyone busting the door down unless we need to.”

“OK, how about ruby? I don’t think I’ll be talking jewelry with him so that should be easy enough.”

Tamara got to work making the suite look more lived in and less like a guest area. She wanted him to think he was in her private quarters. As Tamara worked on the suite, the guys were approaching the Imperial Suite in the St. Regis. Steve knocked as the others waited for the elevator. He could hear someone moving around inside and heard a muffled “Come in, door’s open.”

Steve pushed the door open and slowly entered the room, then motioned for the others to follow when he heard a shower running in the adjoining room. When the door to the other room opened, Steve saw a thin man clad only in a towel. He took one look at all of them standing there and bolted back into the room, slamming the door behind him. Steve didn’t even bother to knock, he just forced the door open. The man dropped the phone he was holding and grabbed a chair, then swung it at Steve. Steve took the blow and as the chair broke over his back, he swung and knocked the man out with one punch. Loki walked in, reached over and grabbed him from the floor, then vanished in a shimmer of green and gold. Steve closed the door as they exited the room. When they re-entered the limo, Loki was waiting for them with the man in a crumpled heap on the floor. All four men were quiet as the returned to the tower where JARVIS directed them to deliver him to the suite on the 65th floor where Tamara waited. Thor dumped the man on the couch, then reluctantly followed the others back out.

Outside the door, Tamara grabbed Clint’s arm. “Wait, stay in there until he starts to wake up. I’m going into the bedroom to hide, just call me when he starts to wake up and follow my lead.”

Clint nodded and followed her back into the suite as the others followed Tony into the next suite. Tamara went into the bedroom and focused on getting into the mindset she needed. A few minutes later, Clint hollered out her name. Tamara entered the living room of the suite and acted surprised to see the man slumped on the couch still wearing nothing but a towel. Turning on Clint, she proceeded to chew him out for hurting her “poor precious pirate” and forced him to leave the room, slamming the door behind him. She hurried to the couch and began to fuss over the man, the whole time muttering about “stupid idiots”.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in my apartment, I’m so sorry, I just asked them to find you for me. I never got your name, I had no idea they’d hurt you.”

“Yeah, that asshole punched me, why am I here?”

“I wanted to see you, I’m sorry I left so suddenly. I started feeling ill, I think it was something I ate.” The whole time she was talking, Tamara was gently running her hands down his arms and shoulders. He leaned into the contact and Tamara grinned at the camera over his head. “Who hit you?”

“Big blond and muscled, I didn't see him last night.”

“Steve? But he’d never hurt anyone, except to defend himself. He really is a big softie. You didn't do anything to him?”

The man glanced at the floor, “I swung a chair at him, I was scared.”

Tamara laughed, “See, it was just self-defense, I’m sure he didn't mean to hurt you. Let’s start over, I know you were Blackbeard last night but I don’t know your real name.”

“Kevin, Kevin Anders.”

“I’m Tamara. I really want to apologize for them, they get a little overprotective sometimes. Let me get you something to drink.”

Tamara left the room, leaving Kevin on the couch. She poured two glasses of tea, then carefully emptied a small vial into them. She stirred the tea, then walked back into the living room. Kevin looked at her hesitantly, as though not sure he could trust her when she offered him a glass. He finally took the glass and after she sipped hers, he took a drink as well. She was watching him carefully and when the glass fell from his hand, she caught it before it hit the floor. She could see the terror in his eyes as he tried to move and realized he couldn't. “What’s wrong dear, can’t move? Afraid that’s my fault, see I like my men totally subservient to my needs. Trust me, you’ll never remember a thing.” She watched as he struggled for several minutes, then she rested her hand on his shoulder and used the nerve pinch Tasha had taught her. When he slumped bonelessly on the couch, she stood and waited for the guys to arrive. She asked Loki to teleport both of them back to his hotel room and he complied. Once there, she tied his hands to the bed, placed a few smears of lipstick on his skin and loosened the towel a bit before asking Loki to teleport her back to the tower.

Tamara returned to her room, ignoring the questioning looks of the others. When she didn't join them for supper, everyone became concerned but Jake assured them she was fine. JARVIS announced that Remy had arrived earlier and was currently with her. When asked why he hadn't told anyone else, he stated that Tamara had asked him not to, and as Remy posed no danger to anyone in the tower, he saw no reason not to honor her request. After supper, Steve made his way down to her floor, wanting to apologize for how he acted when she kissed him. When his enhanced hearing picked up the sounds of her crying and the quiet French reassuring her, he turned around and left. Tamara didn't leave her room at all until Monday evening when Steve saw her in the lobby watching Remy walk out. She looked so lost and young and he wanted to turn back time and stop these events from ever happening. He could only be happy that he had interfered before the man had been able to do any lasting damage as he watches the elevator doors close behind her.


End file.
